56 FROM THE NIGER TO THE NILE 



however, not to try any further than this point. Arrived 

 there, we found that it was the dried-up, sandy bed of a httle 

 stream, that followed its course into the lake of Tapkin 

 Dorina. I came out of the tall grass and went down into the 

 donga and was just peering up the gorge, when suddenly 

 I was aware of a large mass of live yellow, crouching under 

 the screen of branches of an overhanging bush. I instinc- 

 tively turned and threw out my hand for my rifle, but Moussa 

 and the other " boys " were conducting a lively stampede into 

 the grass behind. At that instant the yellow mass sprang 

 with a roar like a storm over my head when Jose, firmly 

 standing his ground, with great presence of mind sent a 

 lucky shot whizzing close over the lion. Coming so soon 

 upon the unpleasant memory of his encounter with a bullet 

 the day before, though the shot narrowly missed him, the 

 noise was enough to make him turn in the air, and he alighted 

 on the ground within about three yards of my left and dashed 

 into the long grass. The sudden shock of this adventure had 

 the effect of bracing me up, and I forgot my weakness for a 

 while in my keenness to continue the pursuit. In the mean- 

 while the " boys," whom Jose's shouts had assured of their 

 master's safety, one by one returned with bravery restored, 

 to be dealt with by Jose in chosen terms. They were now 

 extraordinarily anxious to assist in the further pursuit, 

 well knowing that a lion, twice fired at and wounded would 

 require all the additional help of their skill as hunters to be 

 persuaded to stand and face a rifle for the second time that 

 day. 



We then went up the bed of the stream, and not far 

 beyond the spot where I had first seen the crouching lions, 



