HUNTING THE LION 25 



No sound could be heard except the whispers of 

 the boys in the tree. The excitement was intense. 

 Stepping from the tent door, Prinsloo was preparing 

 to fire at one of the three lions, when, with a deep 

 growl, they disappeared in the grass to the right, and 

 seemed to be making for the back of the tent and 

 the tree in which the boys were perched. Hastily 

 lighting a blue light, he saw the lion which the boys 

 had seen in the grass spring to its feet. The next 

 moment he fired. The bullet ' Mapped ' loudly, and 

 when the smoke lifted, to his surprise he saw the 

 lion standing almost on the same spot, growling and 

 snarling savagely; and before the light went out he 

 caught a glimpse of a lioness a few paces to the 

 right watching her lord and master. The light 

 flickered and died away, leaving an intense darkness. 

 Prinsloo had used the only blue light he had, and 

 now there was nothing left for him but to retreat 

 into the tent, which he did with considerable expedi- 

 tion. As he sat there in the dark he heard the wounded 

 lion continue for some time to moan and growl in 

 a terrifying manner, evidently on the same spot where 

 it had stood when it received the bullet. Prinsloo's 

 position would have tried the strongest nerves. 

 Finally the lion drew off, evidently accompanied 

 by the lioness. The other three lions did not threaten 

 an attack again, but roared occasionally in the neigh- 

 bourhood until dawn. I happened to arrive at the 

 head camp that morning, and received from Prinsloo 

 and the natives a most graphic account of the night's 

 excitements . 



At sunrise Prinsloo discovered much blood where 

 the wounded lion had stood, and on making a search 



