THE ATHI RIVER 
215 
Early in February—having meanwhile completed an 
expedition to the Stony Athi—we returned to the main 
river and tried afresh the whole of the lion-ravines and 
koppies, including many new spots ; but all again proved 
blank. 
Regarded purely as lion-hunters, we had failed, for 
not a single shot had been fired. But intense interest 
never flagged, and experiences had been gained as regards 
the haunts and habits of lions that both explain our 
failure and may benefit future efforts. 
It is during the rains that lions seek the shelter 
of the ravines or rocks described. In November and 
December, several lions had been shot here by precisely 
similar operations. At that season one has, of course, 
to take some slight risk of fever; but that is the time 
to get lions in these ravines. We, timing our arrival 
for Christmas (when rains cease), were too late, that is, 
for lion. For that animal during the dry season needs 
no shelter, and is content to lie up by day in open grass 
or any slight covert the prairie may afford—such as the 
reed-beds, where heavy canes afford shade from the sun 
and are then dry beneath. 1 
1 Another English sportsman, shooting close by (Lieutenant 
Black, 5th Dragoon Guards), had precisely similar experience, never 
seeing a lion until after leaving the Athi and on his homeward 
march to Nairobi, when on passing quite a small reed-bed, he sent a 
dozen “ boys ” round to drive. A lioness bolted at once ; but hearing 
something else inside he waited, and was rewarded by securing a 
lion at the eleventh hour. 
A year later, Mr. (now Capt.) Black wrote me as follows, from 
Bloemfontein— 
“I did not see even a track of elephants this year, but came on 
several lions; first two, which, though I got within 100 yards, 
completely defeated me. Then six, stalking a herd of zebra on the 
Athi Biver, when I got a lion and a lioness out of the troop. Next, 
on Kapiti Plains, I came across five lionesses with cubs. I drove 
them away from the cubs, which they left, and for ten minutes or 
so all five lionesses kept walking away from me at about 400 yards. 
Then, all of a sudden, three of them whipped round and fairly 
charged. I gave them rapid magazine fire, which stopped them 
when within some thirty yards; but although I hit two badly, I 
only picked up one, the other two then retreating, much to my 
