vi CHASED BY A RHINO 65 



to within fifty yards of my position than the men 

 began to set up a terrific noise and outcry, but 

 owing to the hubbub raised I could not make out 

 what it was all about. I thought to myself, " Another 

 rhino, I suppose, charging the safari"; but presently 

 I made out the cry of il Simba! simba!" ("Lion! 

 lion!"). I at once called out, "Where? where?" 

 when to my surprise they shouted back, "He has just 

 got up from behind you." 



Turning quickly in the saddle, I looked eagerly in 

 all directions, but could see no sign of a lion any- 

 where. My companions by this time had come up 

 and told me that they too had both watched it 

 glide through the grass but a few yards behind 

 where I stood. We all three immediately plunged 

 into the thicket in hot pursuit. Our chase, how- 

 ever, proved fruitless, and not a trace of the lion 

 could we find, although we hunted through and 

 through the jungle, with our gun-bearers, syces, and 

 porters all strung out in a line, so that the bush might 

 be beaten thoroughly in all directions. 



After some time we gave up the hunt and settled 

 comfortably down out of the fierce heat of the sun 

 under a spreading tree, where we had a much-needed 

 lunch. While we were enjoying this frugal meal one 

 of the porters came to tell us that he had gone to 

 the place where he had first seen the lion jump up 

 out of the grass, and had there discovered the half- 



