MY SOMALI BOOK 93 



honour to whom honour is due : I could have done 

 nothmg but for the fine tracking of my three shikaris, 

 backed up by Abdilleh's knowledge of the game. And 

 the Paradox deserves its meed of praise ; its handiness 

 was perfect, and as to its effectiveness it need only be 

 said that each of the five lions, if not dropped on the 

 spot, was practically disabled by the first shot. My 

 faith had been justified ; and there was a peculiar 

 satisfaction in having brought off a right-and-left at 

 lions with the weapon with which I had done the same 

 at partridges a few days before. 



The animals skinned, we were back in camp about 

 4 o'clock. Shikari and Sahib well pleased with each 

 other — quite a mutual admiration society ! And that 

 troop of lions had ceased to exist. The neighbouring 

 karias ought to have been duly grateful, but the 

 Somali is the last person in the world to show or feel 

 gratitude, however much you may do for him. They 

 look on things differently in Persia, where, I believe, the 

 man who kills a wolf is given a sheep from each flock 

 in the vicinity. But the two sheep I gave to my men 

 in honour of this occasion had to be bought at a price. 



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