A LION STORY 91 



see a magnificent lion dead on the bank ; but no, there was no 

 lion, only blood ; some satisfaction at all events, for it gave 

 hopes of ultimate success. The wounded animal had evidently 

 made for some dome-palm jungle, with very dense underwood, 

 and thick impassable clumps of dome shrub, which commenced 

 only a few yards from the spot where he had been shot, extend- 

 ing thence as far as one could see on the river bank. The 

 prospect of a meeting with the wounded lion in this cover, where 

 one could see nothing whatever on the ground, was not very 

 pleasant ; still we entered it with some of our men, who seemed 

 very keen, thanks to the prospect of backsheesh. G., whose 

 lion it was, led the way into the jungle by a narrow path, 

 probably made and used by wild beasts, across which, a little 

 distance in, the trunk of a dome-palm had fallen, and was lying 

 a foot or more above the ground, resting upon bushes on either 

 side. Upon this G-. got, so as to obtain a good view, and over 

 it the native trackers climbed. They were just beginning to 

 examine the bushes on the other side when a loud roar from the 

 immediate vicinity was heard, which made them run back in the 

 greatest hurry, thinking, as everybody else did, that the lion 

 was upon them. In their haste they, however, forgot the fallen 

 tree, and one after another tumbled head over heels over it a 

 most comical sight, though probably nobody thought so at the 

 time, nor felt very inclined to laugh just then at the involuntary 

 header which everybody took. Instead of taking the offensive, 

 the lion preferred seeking peace and quietness elsewhere. 

 Though we found blood under a dome-palm bush, where he had 

 been lying when suddenly disturbed by the attacking party, 

 nothing more was seen of him. He had given us the slip, and, 

 though we searched for him everywhere, we had eventually to 

 return to camp disappointed and lionless ; also thoroughly con- 

 vinced that one must not count one's lion until he is actually 

 bagged. 



