MY SOMALI BOOK 149 



little electric hand-lamp, but could not manipulate 

 it and use my gun at the same time, and was afraid 

 that in the unaccustomed hand of a Somali it would 

 not be pointed accurately enough to allow me a fair 

 shot before its bright light scared them away. How- 

 ever, at length I resolved to try it, but just then a 

 shadowy figure moved away to the left, and the other 

 departed unseen. Of course we supposed they had 

 only gone temporarily, and now was our opportunit}^ 

 to improve matters ; we sallied forth and moved the 

 dead donkey (a fifth part of him already devoured) 

 clear of the tree, and fastened it down, then retired to 

 the zariba again. 



I have mentioned that there were two lions, the 

 Somalis said probably a pair, and that from his voice 

 one was a big male. Now, in such cases it is invariably 

 the female who returns first to the kill, so I determined 

 to hold my hand and wait for her less impetuous lord 

 and master. I had not been watching for more than 

 ten minutes when a low purring growl announced the 

 return of the lioness, and presently she appeared 

 sniffing at the spot where the donkey had lain, then 

 stood looking at the present position of the kill, never 

 ceasing from the utterance of that low but intimidating 

 growl ; for perhaps half a minute she stood, offering 

 a perfect broadside shot at about four yards distance, 

 then walked away to the left out of sight. For an 

 hour I waited in vain, then turned in. At about 2 a.m. 

 Abdilleh roused me, saying there was something about. 

 I sat down to watch, and in a couple of minutes it 

 appeared on the kill, a wretched jackal ! The moon 

 had now risen and I saw him clearly as he took hurried 



