that advantage is for once not so marked? I have so often
heard the phrase, "I let him (or them) alone. It was not good enough,"
meaning that the game looked a little risky.

Do not misunderstand. I am not advising that you bull ahead into the
long grass, or that alone you open fire on a half dozen lions in easy
range. Kind providence endowed you with strategy, and certainly you
should never go in where there is no show for you to use your weapon
effectively. But occasionally the odds will be against you and you will
be called upon to take more or less of a chance. I do not think it is
quite square to quit playing merely because for once your opponent has
been dealt the better cards. If here are too many of them see if you
cannot manoeuvre them; if the grass is long, try every means in your
power to get them out. Stay with them. If finally you fail, you will
at least have the satisfaction of knowing that circumstances alone have
defeated you. If you do not like that sort of a game, stay out of it
entirely.

XII. MORE LIONS

Nor do the last remarks of the preceding chapter mean that you shall not
have your trophy in peace. Perhaps excitement and a slight doubt as
to whether or not you are going to survive do not appeal to you; but
nevertheless you would like a lion skin or so. By all means shoot one
lion, or two, or three in the safest fashion you can. But after that you
ought to play the game.

The surest way to get a lion is to kill a zebra, cut holes in him, fill
the holes with strychnine, and come back next morning. This method is
absolutely safe.

The next safest way is to follow the quarry with a pack of especially
trained dogs. The lion is so busy and nervous over those dogs that you
can walk up and shoot him in the ear. This method has the excitement of
riding and following, the joy of a grand and noisy row, and the fun of
seeing a good dog-fight. The same effect can be got chasing wart-hogs,
hyenas, jackals-or jack-rabbits. The objection is that it wastes a
noble beast in an inferior game. My personal opinion is that no man is
justified in following with dogs any large animal that can be captured
with reasonable certainty without them. The sport of coursing is another
matter; but that is quite the same in essence whatever the size of the
quarry. If you want to kill a lion or so quite safely, and at the same
time enjoy a glorious and exciting gallop with lots of accompanying row,
by all means follo