ss how any particular lions may act, however, you will
find yourself often at fault. The lion is a very intelligent and crafty
beast, and addicted to tricks. If you follow a lion to a small hill,
it is well to go around that hill on the side opposite to that taken by
your quarry. You are quite likely to meet him for he is clever enough
thus to try to get in your rear. He will lie until you have actually
passed him before breaking off. He will circle ahead, then back to
confuse his trail. And when you catch sight of him in the distance, you
would never suspect that he knew of your presence at all. He saunters
slowly, apparently aimlessly, along pausing often, evidently too bored
to take any interest in life. You wait quite breathlessly for him to
pass behind cover. Then you are going to make a very rapid advance, and
catch his leisurely retreat. But the moment old Leo does pass behind the
cover, his appearance of idle stroller vanishes. In a dozen bounds he is
gone.

That is what makes lion hunting delightful. There are some regions,
very near settlements, where it is perhaps justifiable to poison these
beasts. If you are a true sportsman you will confine your hound-hunting
to those districts. Elsewhere, as far as playing fair with a noble
beast is concerned, you may as well toss a coin to see which you shall
take-your pack or a strychnine bottle.

XIII. ON THE MANAGING OF A SAFARI

We made our way slowly down the river. As the elevation dropped, the
temperature rose. It was very hot indeed during the day, and in the
evening the air was tepid and caressing, and musical with the hum of
insects. We sat about quite comfortably in our pajamas, and took our
fifteen grains of quinine per week against the fever.

The character of the jungle along the river changed imperceptibly, the
dhum palms crowding out the other trees; until, at our last camp, were
nothing but palms. The wind in them sounded variously like the patter
or the gathering onrush of rain. On either side the country remained
unchanged, however. The volcanic hills rolled away to the distant
ranges. Everywhere grew sparsely the low thornbrush, opening sometimes
into clear plains, closing sometimes into dense thickets. One morning
we awoke to find that many supposedly sober-minded trees had burst into
blossom fairly over night. They were red, and yellow and white that
before were green, a truly gorgeous sight.

Then we turned sharp to the right and began