90 SAFARI 



nor retreat. But that is exactly what they did. 



Finally we were only a few feet from a gorgeous 

 old warrior. He raised his head and glanced disdain- 

 fully at us. He seemed to say: "They're queer- 

 looking creatures, but it's too hot to investigate 

 them; anyway, I'm not hungry." 



About this time a plump female emerged from the 

 forest some distance away and came over to where her 

 friends were dozing. One by one she awakened them 

 with sly digs of her forepaw. They were annoyed 

 at her idea of fun, but did not fight back. 



One lion rose and walked off. He strode with slow 

 dignity as if he had some deliberate business in mind. 

 He did not even glance our way, though I am sure he 

 kept us in sight out of the comer of his eye. 



In action the lion is loo per cent in earnest. When 

 he is hungry he goes straight to a herd of zebra or 

 giraffe and singles out his animal without delay ; often 

 he stampedes the herd, and one is left behind. He 

 kills it swiftly and surely. At once he eats his fill. 

 He sleeps but twenty or thirty feet away from the 

 carcass. When he awakes and can eat some more, he 

 again sets to work. Meanwhile the carrion of the 

 jungle keep their distance. 



In combat the lion is knightly in his courage and 

 fierce tenacity. I have seen him face terrible odds 

 against a score of natives armed with long spears and 

 shields. The first burning sting of steel in his flesh 



