LIONS SEEN. 
>33 
of partridges, a spur-fowl, and a small plover; but I 
saw several beautiful golden-crested cranes, numerous 
parrots, and other birds of gay plumage. Our camp for 
the night was pitched about a hundred yards from the 
edge of the lake, which could here only be approached 
by a narrow hippopotamus track through the reeds ; 
the water was muddy, green, and slimy, and notwith¬ 
standing any amount of boiling and filtering, most 
disagreeable. 
During the afternoon we searched the country in 
different directions, and I made straight for a low hill 
north-east of the lake. In my ramble I saw female 
mpallah, water-buck, and any amount of Kirkii, which 
were running about as thick as rabbits in a warren. I 
also sighted two lions which had just left the carcass of 
a mpallah they had killed; unluckily they were two 
hundred yards off when I caught sight of them sneaking 
into the bush, and at that distance were hardly worth a 
shot; nevertheless I did fire, but without success. 
They immediately disappeared in the covert, and, though 
I took up their tracks for some distance, I failed to get 
another sight of them. From the top of a small hill I 
obtained an extensive view of the vast plain below 
with its thick bush beyond, and on my return came 
across a fine water-buck, near the lake, which I knocked 
over. He got on his legs quickly and made for the 
bush, and as it was getting dark I lost him, but I 
recovered him the next morning, being drawn to the 
spot by the vultures hovering in the air. The water- 
buck (Swahili Kuru) is an antelope somewhat larger 
