In fact, they were pretending to go forward without doing so.
Suddenly a wild shout from a porter near by, then a hurried retreat of other porters, and then a cautious advance gave sign that something desperate was about to happen.

We caught a glimpse of reeds moving about and then saw something crouched in the grass beneath.

Two ears were finally distinguished among the tangle of rushes, and there was no further doubt about it.

It was not a lion.

It wasn't even a hyena.
It was a little dog.