w a range
of mountains. The bench itself broke down in sheer cliffs some fifteen
hundred feet, but one did not appreciate that fact unless he stood
fairly on the edge of the precipice. To all intents and purposes we
were on a rolling grassy plain, with low hills and cliffs, and a most
beautiful little stream running down it beneath fine trees.

Up to now our hunting had gained us little beside information: that kudu
had occasionally visited the region, that they had not been there for a
month, and that the direction of their departure had been obscure. So we
worked our way down the stream, trying out the possibilities. Of other
game there seemed to be a fair supply: impalla, hartebeeste, zebra,
eland, buffalo, wart-hog, sing-sing, and giraffe we had seen. I had
secured a wonderful eland and a very fine impalla, and we had had a
gorgeous close-quarters fight with a cheetah.* Now C. had gone out, a
three weeks' journey, carrying to medical attendance a porter injured in
the cheetah fracas. Billy and I were continuing the hunt alone.

* This animal quite disproved the assertion that cheetahs
never assume the aggressive. He charged repeatedly.

We had marched two hours, and were pitching camp under a single tree
near the edge of the bench. After seeing everything well under way, I
took the Springfield and crossed the stream, which here ran in a deep
canyon. My object was to see if I could get a sing-sing that had bounded
away at our approach. I did not bother to take a gunbearer, because I
did not expect to be gone five minutes.

The canyon proved unexpectedly deep and rough, and the stream up to my
waist. When I had gained the top, I found grass growing patchily from
six inches to two feet high; and small, scrubby trees from four to ten
feet tall, spaced regularly, but very scattered. These little trees
hardly formed cover, but their aggregation at sufficient distance
limited the view.

The sing-sing had evidently found his way over the edge of the bench. I
turned to go back to camp. A duiker-a small grass antelope-broke from a
little patch of the taller grass, rushed, head down headlong after their
fashion, suddenly changed his mind, and dashed back again. I stepped
forward to see why he had changed his mind-and ran into two lions!

They were about thirty yards away, and sat there on their haunches, side
by side, staring at me with expressionless yellow eyes. I stared back.
The Springfield is a good little