ss the desert, accomplished at a low rate of
speed on Ida's account, in order that she might not be subjected to a
too rapid change of temperature in their southward progress, after
enjoying the spectacle of a superb desert sunset, they came to earth for
the night some twenty-five miles west of Lake Birket el Keroon.

Progressing thus quietly, at the rate of about a hundred miles per day,
and coming to earth at sunset every evening, the fifth day of their
journey over Africa terminated in the immediate neighbourhood of a patch
of rocky outcrop, some ten miles long by about three miles in width.
Hitherto the travellers had observed no signs of wild life during their
exceedingly leisurely progress southward; but the sight of a water-hole
or two, and a few patches of scanty herbage dotted here and there among
the rocks, led them to hope that here they might at last possibly get
the chance of a shot at game of some sort; and their hope became a
practical certainty when, as the men of the party were promenading the
deck after dinner, and enjoying their tobacco, a hoarse, coughing roar
reached their ears from the direction of the rocks. The roar was
answered at intervals from other points, and the spirits of the party
rose high in anticipation of sport for the morrow, for the roars were at
once identified as those of lions, and it was forthwith arranged that at
least a portion of the next day should be devoted to hunting the brutes.

CHAPTER TEN.

AN EXTRAORDINARY SIGHT.

The chief topic of conversation at the breakfast-table on the following
morning was, as might be expected, big game shooting; and it then
transpired that the Russian colonel had never faced anything bigger or
more formidable than bears or wolves. He was consequently much elated
at the prospect of encountering the lordly lion in his native wilds;
especially with so effective a weapon as the magazine rifle firing
twenty shots without reloading, upon the merits of which Colonel
Lethbridge expatiated eloquently. His elation was of the kind that
easily becomes contagious, and the party were in high spirits when at
length they rose from the table and proceeded to the gun-room to select
their weapons and provide themselves with a supply of cartridges. These
cartridges, it should be explained, were, like almost everything else
connected with the _Flying Fish_, of quite a unique character, and
totally unlike those used in the ordinary weapons of sport or w