began to wonder whether physically I should be able to hold out。 We had been crawling； it seemed； for hours。 I dared not look back； but we must have come a good quarter mile。 Finally F。 stopped。
〃I'm all in for water；〃 he gasped in a whisper。
Somehow that confession made me feel a lot better。 I had thought that I was the only one。 Cautiously we settled back on our heels。 Memba Sasa and Simba wiped the sweat from their faces。 It seemed that they too had found the work severe。 That cheered me up still more。
Simba grinned at us； and； worming his way backward with the sinuousity of a snake； he disappeared in the direction from which we had come。 F。 cursed after him in a whisper both for departing and for taking the risk。 But in a moment he had returned carrying two canteens of blessed water。 We took a drink most gratefully。
I glanced at my watch。 It was just under two hours since I had fired my shot。 I looked back。 My supposed quarter mile had shrunk to not over fifty feet！
After resting a few moments longer； we again took up our systematic advance。 We made perhaps another fifty feet。 We were ascending a very gentle slope。 F。 was for the moment ahead。 Right before us the lion growled； a deep rumbling like the end of a great thunder roll； fathoms and fathoms deep； with the inner subterranean vibrations of a heavy train of cars passing a man inside a sealed building。 At the same moment over F。's shoulder I saw a huge yellow head rise up； the round eyes flashing anger； the small black…tipped ears laid back； the great fangs snarling。 The beast was not over twelve feet distant。 F。 immediately fired。 His shot； hitting an intervening twig； went wild。 With the utmost coolness he immediately pulled the other trigger of his double barrel。 The cartridge snapped。
〃If you will kindly stoop down…〃 said I； in what I now remember to be rather an exaggeratedly polite tone。 As F。's head disappeared； I placed the little gold bead of my 405 Winchester where I thought it would do the most good； and pulled trigger。 She rolled over dead。
The whole affair had begun and finished with unbelievable swiftness。 From the growl to the fatal shot I don't suppose four seconds elapsed； for our various actions had followed one another with the speed of the instinctive。 The lioness had growled at our approach； had raised her head to charge； and had received her deathblow before she had released her muscles in the spring。 There had been no time to get frightened。
We sat back for a second。 A brown hand reached over my shoulder。
〃Mizouri…mizouri sana！〃 cried Memba Sasa joyously。 I shook the hand。
〃Good business！〃 said F。 〃Congratulate you on your first lion。〃
We then remembered B。； and shouted to him that all was over。 He and the other men wriggled in to where we were lying。 He made this distance in about fifteen seconds。 It had taken us nearly an hour。
We had the lioness dragged out into the open。 She was not an especially large beast； as compared to most of the others I killed later； but at that time she looked to me about as big as they made them。 As a matter of fact she was quite big enough； for she stood three feet two inches at the shoulder…measure that against the wall…and was seven feet and six inches in length。 My first bullet had hit her leg； and the last had reached her heart。
Every one shook me by the hand。 The gunbearers squatted about the carcass； skilfully removing the skin to an undertone of curious crooning that every few moments broke out into one or two bars of a chant。 As the body was uncovered； the men crouched about to cut off little pieces of fat。 These they rubbed on their foreheads and over their chests； to make them brave； they said； and cunning； like the lion。
We remounted and took up our interrupted journey to camp。 It was a little after two； and the heat was at its worst。 We rode rather sleepily； for the reaction from the high tension of excitement had set in。 Behind us marched the three gunbearers； all abreast； very military and proud。 Then came the porters in single file； the one carrying the folded lion skin leading the way； those bearing the waterbuck trophy and meat bringing up the rear。 They kept up an undertone of humming in a minor key； occasionally breaking into a short musical phrase in full voice。
We rode an hour。 The camp looked very cool and inviting under its wide high trees； with the river slipping by around the islands of papyrus。 A number of black heads bobbed about in the shallows。 The small fires sent up little wisps of smoke。 Around them our boys sprawled； playing simple games； mending； talking； roasting meat。 Their tiny white tents gleamed pleasantly among the cool shadows。
I had thought of riding nonchalantly up to our own tents； of dismounting with a careless word of greeting…
〃Oh； yes；〃 I would say； 〃we did have a good enough day。 Pretty hot。 Roy got a fine waterbuck。 Yes； I got a lion。〃 （Tableau on part of Billy。）
But Memba Sasa used up all the nonchalance there was。 As we entered camp he remarked casually to the nearest man。
〃Bwana na piga simba…the master has killed a lion。〃
The man leaped to his feet。
〃Simba！ simba！ simba！〃 he yelled。 〃Na piga simba！〃
Every one in camp also leaped to his feet； taking up the cry。 》From the water it was echoed as the bathers scrambled ashore。 The camp broke into pandemonium。 We were surrounded by a dense struggling mass of men。 They reached up scores of black hands to grasp my own； they seized from me everything portable and bore it in triumph before me…my water bottle； my rifle； my camera； my whip； my field glasses； even my hat； everything that was detachable。 Those on the outside danced and lifted up their voices in song； improvised for the most part； and in honor of the day's work。 In a vast swirling； laughing； shouting； triumphant mob we swept through the camp to where Billy…by now not very much surprised…was waiting to get the official news。 By the measure of this extravagant joy could we gauge what the killing of a lion means to these people who have always lived under the dread of his rule。
X。 LIONS
A very large lion I killed stood three feet and nine inches at the withers； and of course carried his head higher than that。 The top of the table at which I sit is only two feet three inches from the floor。 Coming through the door at my back that lion's head would stand over a foot higher than halfway up。 Look at your own writing desk； your own door。 Furthermore； he was nine feet and eleven inches in a straight line from nose to end of tail； or over eleven feet along the contour of the back。 If he were to rise on his hind feet to strike a man down； he would stand somewhere between seven and eight feet tall； depending on how nearly he straightened up。 He weighed just under six hundred pounds； or as much as four well…grown specimens of our own 〃mountain lion。〃 I tell you this that you may realize； as I did not； the size to which a wild lion grows。 Either menagerie specimens are stunted in growth； or their position and surroundings tend to belittle them； for certainly until a man sees old Leo in the wilderness he has not understood what a fine old chap he is。
This tremendous weight is sheer strength。 A lion's carcass when the skin is removed is a really beautiful sight。 The great muscles lie in ropes and bands； the forearm thicker than a man's leg； the lithe barrel banded with brawn； the flanks overlaid by the long thick muscles。 And this power is instinct with the nervous force of a highly organized being。 The lion is quick and intelligent and purposeful； so that he brings to his intenser activities the concentration of vivid passion； whether of anger； of hunger or of desire。
So far the opinions of varied experience will jog along together。 At this point they diverge。
Just as the lion is one of the most interesting and fascinating of beasts； so concerning him one may hear the most diverse opinions。 This man will tell you that any lion is always dangerous。 Another will hold the king of beasts in the most utter contempt as a coward and a skulker。
In the first place； generalization about any species of animal is an exceedingly dangerous thing。 I believe that； in the case of the higher animals at least； the differences in individual temperament are quite likely to be more numerous than the specific likenesses。 Just as individual men are bright or dull； nervous or phlegmatic； cowardly or brave； so individual animals vary in like respect。 Our own hunters will recall from their personal experiences how the big bear may have sat down and bawled harmlessly for mercy； while the little unconsidered fellow did his best until finished off： how one buck dropped instantly to a wound that another would carry five miles： how of two equally matched warriors of the herd one will give way in the fight； while still uninjured； before his perhaps badly wounded antagonist。 The casual observer might…and often does…say that all bears are cowardly； all bucks are easily killed； or the reverse； according as the god of chance has treated him to one spectacle or the other。 As well try to generalize on the human race…as is a certain ecclesiastical habit…that all men are vile or noble； dishonest or upright； wise or foolish。
The higher we go in the scale the truer this individualism holds。 We are forced to reason not from the bulk of observations； but from their averages。 If we find ten bucks who will go a mile wounded to two who succumb in their tracks from similar hurts； we are justified in saying tentatively that the species is tenacious of life。 But as experience broadens we may modify that statement； for strange indeed are runs of luck。
For this reason a good deal of the wise conclusion we read in sportsmen's narratives is worth very little。 Few men have experience enough with lions to rise to averages through the possibilities of luck。 ESPECIALLY is this true of lions。 No beast that roams seems to go more by luck than felis leo。 Good hunters may search for years without seeing hide nor hair of one of the beasts。 Selous； one of the greatest； went to East Africa for the express purpose of getting some of the fine beasts there； hunted six weeks and saw none。 Holmes of the Escarpment has lived in the country six years； has hunted a grea