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 55 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. 
