Mrs. Percival with cheetah cub which we found and 
From a photograph by' Kermit Roosevelt. 
her. 
that if the lion were missed we could gallop 
after him and round him up on the plain. 
The dogs—for besides the little bull, we 
had a large brindled mongrel named Ben, 
whose coverage belied his looks—began to 
show signs of scenting the lion; and we 
beat out each patch of brush, the natives 
shouting and throwing in stones, while we 
stood with the rifles where we could best 
command any probable exit. After a 
couple of false alarms the dogs drew toward 
one patch, their hair bristling, and showing 
such eager excitement that it was evident 
something big was inside; and in a moment 
one of the boys called, “simba” (lion), and 
pointed with his finger. It was just across 
the little ravine, there about four yards 
wide and as many feet deep; and I shifted 
my position, peering eagerly into the bushes 
for some moments before I caught a glimpse 
of tawny hide; as it moved, there was a call 
to me to “shoot,” for at that distance, if 
the lion charged, there would be scant time 
to stop it; and I fired into what I saw. 
There was a commotion in the bushes, and 
Kermit fired; and immediately afterward 
there broke out on the other side, not the 
hoped-for big lion, but two cubs the size 
of mastiffs. Each was badly wounded and 
we finished them off; even if unwounded, 
they were too big to take alive. 
This was a great disappointment, and as 
it was well on in the afternoon, and we had 
beaten the country most apt to harbor our 
game, it seemed unlikely that we would 
have another chance. Percival was on foot 
and a long way from his house, so he start¬ 
ed for it; and the rest of us also began to 
jog homeward. But Sir Alfred, although 
he said nothing, intended to have another 
"try. After going a mile or two he started 
off to the left at a brisk canter; and we, the 
other riders, followed, leaving behind our 
gun-bearers, saises, and porters. A couple 
of miles away was another donga, another 
shallow watercourse with occasional big 
brush patches along the winding bed; and 
toward this we cantered. Almost as soon 
as we. reached it our leader found the spoor 
of two big lions; and with every sense 
acock, we dismounted and approached the 
first patch of tall bushes. We shouted and 
threw in stones, but nothing came out; and 
another small patch showed the same re¬ 
sult. Then we mounted our horses again, 
and rode toward another patch a quarter 
of a mile off. I was mounted on Tran¬ 
quillity, the stout and quiet sorrel. 
535 
