CHAPTER III 



NEARING THE LION COUNTRY 



We now began to find fresh lion spoor about, and 

 in one place the bushmen ran for a short way up 

 the tracks of a giraffe that had been chased by a 

 lion — the tracks of both galloping animals being 

 plain even to a white man. The giraffe had been 

 " scratching gravel/' yet I doubt a single lion 

 holding or killing such a big beast as a giraffe. 

 Perhaps he had chased it more out of play than 

 anything else. Two or three times we had run 

 up fresh tracks only to lose them, but it seemed 

 we were getting closer to some sport. 



Whilst hunting round for fresh Hon spoor one 

 morning, with little Qumano in the lead and some 

 other hunters, we came quietly on a great bull 

 eland standing under a tree in a little open patch. 

 Qumano was at once all tension like a pointer. 

 Getting off my mule whilst the boys squatted on 

 the ground, I sat down to watch the noble fellow. 

 As we already had sufficient meat for some days 

 ahead, there was, of course, no wish on my part 

 to molest him ; so after enjoying the sight for some 

 time, I mounted to ride on. Poor Qumano could 



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