FIRST GLIMPSE OF A WILD LION 101 
six gunbearers, worked around the base of the hill 
until we were able to climb up on the crest of it, 
being thus constantly screened from view of the 
lions. At the crest was an abrupt outcropping of 
blackened rocks, where we stopped to locate the two 
animals. They were nowhere to be seen. Twenty- 
five yards farther along on the crest was another 
little ledge of rocks, and we worked our way silently 
along to it in the expectation that the lions might 
have advanced that far. But even then our search 
disclosed nothing. For some time we waited, scour¬ 
ing the neighborhood with our glasses, and had 
almost reached the conclusion that the lions had 
made off down the other side of the hill and had 
reached the cover of a shallow ravine some distance 
away. Then we saw them—exactly where we had 
last seen them before we had started our stalk. 
They were still together and showed no sign of 
alarm nor knowledge of our presence so near them. 
At this time they were one hundred and ten yards 
away. They lay down again behind the rocks and 
we waited twenty minutes for them to show them¬ 
selves. Off to our right and in the valley another 
large male lion appeared and moved slowly away 
among the low scrub trees. 
Finally we decided to rouse the two lions by 
shouting, but before this decision could be carried 
out the male rose above the rocks and stood plainly 
in view. It had previously been arranged that Mr. 
Stephenson should try for the male, while I should 
try for the female. In an instant he fired with his 
