The Lion 117 



on the spot. My idea was that the guns should guard the 

 more likely passes, while the people, numbering near five 

 hundred, should beat out the jungle. To this, however, 

 the objection was offered, that from the well-known thick- 

 ness of the place, and the universal terror of the lion, the 

 men would not attempt to beat it unless they were led by 

 myself and my hunters. Such being the case, it was 

 decided that spies should be placed in the tree-tops and 

 other commanding positions, while the great body of the 

 people were to enter at the top and drive down ; but 

 knowing as I did how very dangerous the affair would 

 become if the lion was wounded in such cover, in many 

 parts of which one could not see a yard off, I specially 

 ordered my men not to fire unless they felt sure of killing 

 or disabling the brute on the spot, and advised that every 

 one, advancing in as unbroken a line as possible, and going 

 slowly and making all the noise possible, should try and 

 make it slink off before them, and enable us in the end to 

 get a fair chance at it in the open. 



" Half an hour was spent in waiting for the spies to take 

 up their positions, and then the whole body, chanting a 

 hunting song so loudly that it could have been heard miles 

 off, and must undoubtedly have broken the slumbers of the 

 lion, marched up to the top, and spreading out, so as to 

 take in all but the outskirts, where it was improbable that 

 he would be, they entered the jungle shouting at the top 

 of their voices, partly, no doubt, in obedience to my 

 wishes, but quite as much to keep their own courage up. 

 In this fashion, and amid cries of ' Get up ! Get out, you 

 dog! Where's the dog?' to which they trusted a good 



