Evening star., 1909-04-25

sandy watercourse, which it followed for
some distance. Up to this time we had
had no real difficulty in making it out,
but now came our first serious check:
The nullah turned off along the side OF
a stony ridge. and, instead of going along
it. the lion had turned up the hill. we
had got the general direction the lion
had been going in. but this was no good
to us, as on casting forward in the same
line to the bottom OF the other side OF
the ridge where there was some sandy
ground, we could find no sign Of his hav-
ing passed in that direction. We spent
some time hunting about, growing less
hopeful as time went on. A man follow
ing a trail by sight certainly has an enor-
nous advantage over hound hunting IL
by nose, because time Is of no particular
tried in turn. After making our cast for
ward we went back to the little water
course and followed that down for some
distance, hoping that the lion had turned
down hill again; but here, too, we were
disappointed, and gravitated back to
where we had first lost the spoor. We
knew that the lion had not gone straight
on, nor had he turned back; he must nave
gone along the top Of the ridge and then
crossed into other stony hills where 1t
was hopeless to try to track him.
-
Abdhliah, who is never defeated, said
there was q big river bed farther on in
the direction in which the lion was go
ing. It seemed very slender chance,
as he might have turned off anywhere
in between, but it was the only one. so
of we went. We were evidently in luck
that day, for we had gone only about
quarter OF q mile when we struck the
spoor. The Hon seemed now 70 nave
made up his mind as to his direction.
for he kept on straight down the middle
nod The had come out
from behind the clouds. and in places tne
sand was very deep, so that we were not
sorry when at last thetrack led into a
little island Of bush In the great nat sand.
There was no doubt the non was az ho,ie,
for on casting round no sign was per-
ceptible Of a track coming out The IS
land raised a little above the river bed,
was formed Of a mass of thick tangled
bush and creepers clustered round rev
big trees. The water coming down the
river after heavy rain had washed II
roughly into the form Of a triangle, the
apex Of which pointed up the river. From
this point the sides widened out to the
other end, which was about thirty yards
broad. the whole length being somewhat
under hundred yards.
The shape made It an easy place to
drive. for little way out from the point
one could easily command the whole OF
It. The lion was almost certain to break
out OF one OF the sides toward the bush
on the banks Of the river bed. In which
case should get an easy broadside shot.
If we followed the track into the place
the noise we were sure to make would be
very likely to get the beast on his legs.
and he would sneak out at one side as
we went in the other, especially as the
water had left lot of dead sticks along
the edges, over which 1t would be inn
possible to walk quietly. Abdullah also
said that from the way he had wandered
about this lion must be very hungry and
would sleep lightly. These considera-
tions decided us to drive. I posted my
self with Abdullah a few yards out from
the point, and the other two men, hav-
ing collected some stone, began throwing