100 
IN AFRICA 
one mule that we had dared to bring down the Tana 
River. It was evident that something important 
had occurred and we hurried on to meet him. 
“Simba!” he shouted, as soon as he could be heard. 
In a moment we had the details. One of the saises 
had seen two lions, a large male and female, quite 
near the camp. Porters were instructed to watch 
the beasts until we should arrive, and now were sup¬ 
posed to be in touch with them. We omitted lunch¬ 
eon and struck off at once in the direction indicated 
by the tent boy. We soon came up to the porters 
and an instant later saw the lions. It was a beauti¬ 
ful sight. The two animals were majestically walk¬ 
ing up the rocky slope of a low, fire-scorched hill 
a few hundred yards away. The male was a splen¬ 
did beast, with all the splendid dignity of one who 
fears nothing in the whole wide world. From time 
to time the two lions stopped and looked back at us, 
but with no sign of fear. Several times they lay 
down, but soon would resume their stately course 
up among the rocks. 
I shall never forget the picture that lay before 
me. It was as though some famous lion painting 
of Gerome or Landseer had come to life, sometimes 
the animals being outlined clearly against the blue 
sky and at other times standing, with splendid 
heads erect, upon the rocks of the low ridge that 
rose ahead of us. 
We stalked them easily. Several porters were 
left where the lions could constantly see them, 
while we three, Akeley, Stephenson and I, with our 
