xii AN ADVENTURE WITH LIONS 149 



Finally the eland was reached and then began a 

 mighty rending of meat and scrunching of bones, 

 followed by vicious purrs and deep savage growls 

 which were enough to make the stoutest heart 

 quail. 



We had agreed that no one should fire until the 

 lions had settled well down to their meal, so that we 

 might have a better opportunity of making out their 

 position and getting in a deadly shot. The brutes 

 could not remove the kill, because I had taken the 

 precaution of roping the body firmly to some stout 

 trees against which it practically rested. 



All at once one of the lions put his foot into the 

 trap, and the moment the steel jaws closed on him 

 there was a loud and startled growl which told me 

 that we must act instantly. My companions all 

 this time were eagerly and impatiently awaiting my 

 signal, so when I called out "Fire" we all three 

 blazed away into the darkness, aiming as well as we 

 could for the lions. At once there was a tremendous 

 chorus of growls and fierce grunts, accompanied by 

 the furious lashing and plunging of the lion that was 

 caught in the trap, which was only strong enough to 

 hold him for a moment or two. The commotion 

 was so terrific that I greatly feared the enraged 

 animal was making for our shoma, where in the 

 darkness he would make but short work of us. To 

 add to the general noise and confusion, both our 



