96 IN THE GRIP OF THE NYIKA CHAP. 



S. was with the safari at the time this happened, 

 and spotted the beasts when they were about 150 

 yards away. He was, however, unfortunately 

 mounted on the very laziest and most obstinate 

 mule that it has ever been man's misfortune to 

 bestride, and although he made every effort, and 

 tried every inducement to make the brute canter 

 after the retreating lions, yet it was all of no use, 

 so finally he had to dismount and try to overtake 

 them on foot. Needless to say, the pursuit was a 

 hopeless one, and he never got the chance of a shot. 



When I heard that the lioness with her cubs 

 had taken shelter in the reeds, I collected all the 

 available porters and had the covert beaten out. 

 We hunted through the rushes untiringly for over 

 an hour, but still there was no trace of them to be 

 seen, and it was only when I got to the other end 

 that I plainly saw her pug marks and those of her 

 cubs in the soft mud, clearly showing that she had 

 travelled rapidly up the bed of the stream and 

 made off. It was evident from what the men told 

 me that the lioness had remained in the reeds for 

 some little time, for she was distinctly heard growling 

 viciously at intervals. She must then have taken 

 to her heels just in time to avoid the beaters, and under 

 cover of the river bank escaped to the plains, where 

 she no doubt rejoined her mate far away in the jungle. 



I felt very much tempted to fall in with the 



