MY SOMALI BOOK 161 



On the 14tli we reached GebiU, a pleasant campmg- 

 ground on the banks of a winding stony river-bed. 

 We heard of lion and leopard, and there were signs of 

 lesser kudu, but no other game. Indeed, through all 

 this cattle country game was very scarce ; it is com- 

 paratively near to Hargeisa, and has been much shot 

 over in consequence. Most of it is beautiful country, 

 and in the eighties used to teem with game from 

 elephant downwards. Now in four days all I had seen 

 was a single specimen each of oryx and gerenuJc, and 

 one little party of dhero. 



A big tortoise I came across measured twenty-five 

 inches in length, ^ 



thirteen and a half l'\^f ' llW ''iL 



nnie ni circumfer- ^^^^Ml^^^m^^^ SkA/^ 



ence. I wonder "'^:^^ •i.^^^^'^'c'i'.f^'J'^'^^ '^¥ 

 where the tortoise ^ "' " '""^ 



finds his enjoyment 



in life ? Flies were 



ver}^ troublesome, presumably on account of the cattle, 



and a large tick with a tortoise-shell back was far too 



much in evidence. All the cattle carried scores of 



these obnoxious little pests, but did not seem to be 



much worried by them. 



Sonny was quite at home by this time. He used 

 to have great games with the little lynx, which loved 

 to bite his ears, and he was fond of stalking Jennie, 

 who would put her head down and knock him over, 

 ]3roducing such a quaint puzzled expression on the 

 cub's face. He delighted in chewing a boot or a bare 

 ankle ! and was always strolling about in camp 



M 



