28 SPORT, TRAVEL, AND ADVENTURE 



did the only thing that was possible I rang my bell, 

 and, shouting at the top of my voice, then let the 

 ' bike ' go at its topmost speed. As I shot into view 

 the lion raised his huge, shaggy head, and seeing this 

 unearthly creature come racing towards him, making 

 so strange a cry, he lifted up his voice and gave forth 

 a most blood-curdling yelp. The apparition was too 

 much even for him, and when I was about five yards 

 from him he leaped on to the right of the path, and 

 I just had room to scramble past him. Once beyond, 

 I pedalled away as I never had before, not even 

 looking round to see what next happened to the startled 

 lion/' 



