LION HUNTING ON THE KAPITI PLAINS 77 
and both the Hills were with us, and Heller came too; for 
he liked, when possible, to be with the hunters so that he 
could at once care for any beast that was shot. As the 
safari was stationary, we took fifty or sixty porters as beat¬ 
ers. It was thirteen hours before we got into camp that 
evening. The Hills had with them as beaters and water- 
carriers half a dozen of the Wakamba who were working 
on their farm. It was interesting to watch these naked 
savages, with their filed teeth, their heads shaved in curi¬ 
ous patterns, and carrying for arms little bows and 
arrows. 
Before lunch we beat a long, low hill. Harold Hill was 
with me; Medlicott and Kermit were together. We placed 
ourselves, one couple on each side of a narrow neck, two- 
thirds of the way along the crest of the hill; and soon 
after we were in position we heard the distant shouts of 
the beaters as they came toward us, covering the crest and 
the tops of the slopes on both sides. It was rather dis¬ 
concerting to find how much better Hill’s eyes were than 
mine. He saw everything first, and it usually took some 
time before he could make me sec it. In this first drive 
nothing came my way except some mountain reedbuck 
does, at which I did not shoot. But a fine male cheetah 
came to Kermit, and he bowled it over in good style as 
it ran. 
Then the beaters halted, and waited before resuming 
their march until the guns had gone clear round and es¬ 
tablished themselves at the base of the farther end of the 
hill. This time Kermit, who was a couple of hundred 
yards from me, killed a reedbuck and a steinbuck. Sud¬ 
denly Hill said, ‘‘Lion,” and endeavored to point it out to 
