LION HUNTING ON THE KAPITI PLAINS 69 
and found that we felt alike on all the big questions, and 
looked at life, and especially the life of effort led by the 
pioneer settler, from the same stand-point. They reminded 
me, at every moment, of those Western ranchmen and home¬ 
makers with whom I have always felt a special sense of com¬ 
panionship and with whose ideals and aspirations I have 
always felt a special sympathy. A couple of months before 
my visit, Harold Hill had met with a rather unpleasant 
adventure. He was walking home across the lonely plains, 
in the broad daylight, never dreaming that lions might be 
abroad, and was unarmed. When still some miles from 
his house, while plodding along, he glanced up and saw 
three lions in the trail only fifty yards off, staring fixedly 
at him. It happened to be a place where the grass was 
rather tall, and lions are always bold where there is the 
slightest cover; whereas, unless angered, they are cautious 
on bare ground. He halted, and then walked slowly to 
one side; and then slowly forward toward his house. The 
lions followed him with their eyes, and when he had passed 
they rose and slouched after him. They were not pleasant 
followers, but to hurry would have been fatal; and he walked 
slowly on along the road, while for a mile he kept catching 
glimpses of the tawny bodies of the beasts as they trod 
stealthily forward through the sunburned grass, alongside 
or a little behind him. Then the grass grew short, and the 
lions halted and continued to gaze after him until he dis¬ 
appeared over a rise. 
Everywhere throughout the country we were crossing 
were signs that the lion was lord and that his reign was 
cruel. There were many lions, for the game on which they 
feed was extraordinarily abundant. They occasionally took 
