n, the movements of the beast are easily
followed.

On the other hand, there is room for mistake. The hunter, for example,
should never follow directly in the rear of his lion, but rather at a
parallel course off the beast's flank. Then, if the lion stops suddenly,
the man does not overrun before he can check his mount. He should never
dismount nearer than a hundred and fifty yards from the embayed
animal; and should never try to get off while the lion is moving in
his direction. Then, too, a hard gallop is not conducive to the best of
shooting. It is difficult to hold the front bead steady; and it is still
more difficult to remember to wait, once the lion charges, until he has
come near enough for a sure shot. A neglect in the inevitable excitement
of the moment to remember these and a dozen other small matters may
quite possibly cause trouble.

Two or three men together can make this one of the most exciting mounted
games on earth; with enough of the give and take of real danger and
battle to make it worth while. The hunter, however, who employs a dozen
Somalis to ride the beast to a standstill, after which he goes to
the front, has eliminated much of the thrill. Nor need that man's
stay-at-home family feel any excessive uneasiness over Father Killing
Lions in Africa.

The method that interested me more than any other is one exceedingly
difficult to follow except under favourable circumstances. I refer to
tracking them down afoot. This requires that your gunbearer should be
an expert trailer, for, outside the fact that following a soft-padded
animal over all sorts of ground is a very difficult thing to do, the
hunter should be free to spy ahead. It is necessary also to possess much
patience and to endure under many disappointments. But on the other
hand there is in this sport a continuous keen thrill to be enjoyed in no
other; and he who single handed tracks down and kills his lion thus, has
well earned the title of shikari-the Hunter.

And the last method of all is to trust to the God of Chance. The secret
of success is to be always ready to take instant advantage of what the
moment offers.

An occasional hunting story is good in itself: and the following will
also serve to illustrate what I have just been saying.

We were after that prize, the greater kudu, and in his pursuit had
penetrated into some very rough country. Our hunting for the time being
was over broad bench, perhaps four or five miles wide, belo