52 



MY SOMALI BOOK 



to think about him. My visit had been unfortunately 

 timed. When we reached the Hand the last of several 

 harias that had been pasturing there since the winter 

 rains was departing ; with their disappearance the 

 lions that had been harrying them had scattered. 

 Moreover, a lion rarely attacks a zariba when the moon 

 is bright as it had been more or less during our time 

 (only ten days after all) in the Hand. And now with 

 Tuyo Plain in sight again I realised that for this trip 

 my chances of a lion were gone. Better luck next 

 time ! For that there must be a next time I had 

 already made up my mind. 



