THE TOPI CAMP. 383 



of us familiar with the animal, and had only 

 recollections of the book distinctions. Finally 

 I picked out one that seemed to present the 

 most marked characteristics and missed him 

 clean at 280 yards. Then I took three shots at 

 180 yards to down a second choice. The poor 

 shooting was forgotten, however, in our deter- 

 mination that this was indeed Neumanii. 



A vain hunt for lions occupied all the next 

 day. The third morning C. started for the 

 boma, leaving Billy and me to look about us 

 as we willed. Shortly after he had departed a 

 delegation of Masai came in, dressed in their 

 best, and bearing presents of milk. Leyeye was 

 summoned as interpreter. 



The Masai informed us that last night a lion 

 had leapt the thorn walls of their boma, had 

 pressed on through the fires, had seized a two- 

 year-old steer, and had dragged the beast out- 

 side. Then the pursuit with spears and firebrands 

 had become too hot for him, so that he had 

 dropped his victim and retired. They desired 

 (a) medicine for the steer, (b) magic to keep that 

 lion away, (c) that I should assist them in hunt- 

 ing the lion down. 



I questioned them closely, and soon discovered 

 both that the lion must have been very bold, 



