TANGANYIKA LIONS 265 



the scouts retreated until joined by their brothers. 

 A sort of rough semicircular formation was then 

 taken and the advance began. 



Meanwhile the lion usually behaved somewhat 

 as the big fellow did who charged Osa and me. He 

 lashed himself into a fury at the intrusion of man 

 and prepared to fight any who dared approach 

 him. Only twice did I actually see one run away; 

 and that was when he was pressed hard from all sides 

 and many times outntimbered. Even then he did 

 not give the impression of running away. He simply 

 changed his course and disappeared at a powerful trot 

 which gave the impression that he had important 

 business elsewhere. 



Occasionally the lion would make off as if he had 

 decided that his duties were not as important as 

 those of the strange two-legged beasts who had 

 suddenly cropped up on all sides. But when he 

 discovered that it was himself whom they pursued 

 he did not hesitate to turn and engage the enemy 

 with spirit. 



At the first sign of the lion's determination to 

 charge, the warriors paused. This was the dramatic 

 high point of the scene ; the crouched lion with lashing 

 tail ready to charge on the slightest provocation; 

 the tense and naked black men with glistening 

 spears raised in the sunshine and trembling in their 

 almost unbearable suspense. 



