74 TWO DIANAS IN SOMALILAND 



but the pugs threaded in and out, and held plainly on, 

 until they ended in a vast pile of stones and brush- 

 wood. An ideal lair. Clearly our quarry was run to 

 earth. With a " whuff " two mighty animals leapt up, 

 over the stones and away, just for all the world like a 

 couple of agile common or garden cats. Cecily and I 

 flew after them. I don't think I ever ran so hard in 

 my life before. I might have been the pursued rather 

 than the pursuer. The ground opened up to great 

 plateau country, and the lion and lioness were canter- 

 ing close together, almost touching shoulders. Making 

 a detour Clarence and the hunters rounded the great 

 cats up. For a moment it almost seemed that they 

 pulled up dead as the gallant little ponies dashed by 

 them, but a man is fairly safe on a galloping pony. I 

 laid this flattering well-known unction to my soul 

 as I saw the lion go for "The Baron," whilst the 

 lioness simply broke away, and vanished in that 

 marvellous manner of disappearing which lions know 

 the secret of. 



With quivering tail extended, and most horrible 

 coughing snarls the lion seemed about to disprove the 

 idea that he was no match for a mounted horseman. 

 But away and away dashed the sporting little pony, 

 and His Majesty turned his terrific attentions to us, and 

 in a whirl of tossed-up mud came to within forty yards 

 of the place where Cecily and I stood in the open, 

 rigid and awaiting the onslaught. Then we let him 

 have it. I saw his tremendous head over my sights 

 as in short bounds he cleared the distance that 

 separated us. I fired simultaneously with my cousin. 



