262 SAFARI 



This left no doubt in our minds about his mood. 

 He was angry at our intrusion. He may have been 

 stalking his prey; he may have been asleep; he may 

 have been courting when we chanced by. It made 

 no difference. He was thoroughly enraged that our 

 party had blundered upon his activities and dared 

 still to come his way. 



I knew enough about lions not to go on. Quickly 

 I had the big camera set up and Osa got hers out of 

 its case. The gun -bearers took their stations a little 

 behind and on both sides of us to be ready in case of 

 trouble. 



Scarcely had I started to crank when the beast 

 began his advance. His tail was flipping violently 

 from side to side; now and then he gave vent to a 

 harsh growl of anger. 



He didn't charge all at once. He would advance 

 a few yards, then lie down in a tense crouching 

 position. He seemed to be working himself up into 

 an uncontrollable rage. Six times he repeated this 

 performance while I recorded his movements by 

 film. 



Finally he could no longer control his desire to 

 annihilate us. He was just a hundred yards away 

 and right out in plain sight in broad daylight when 

 he rose and charged. 



I can't say I enjoyed standing there turning my 

 crank during that rush. It was the most beautiful, 



