"JACKING" ANIMALS 115 



I then saw that our lion's eyes were nothing 

 more than the dying embers of a Kikuyu native 

 camp-fire. 



Probably the blacks were clustered about five 

 or ten deep and at that moment were sleeping 

 the sleep of the just, oblivious of wild animals 

 or wild white men. Had I fired, I should un- 

 doubtedly have peppered a dozen or more of 

 them. It was a fortunate thing that I dis- 

 covered the mistake in time, for it costs some- 

 thing to shoot a native in Africa. One must not 

 only pay for those he wounds but all the near 

 relatives of a man he may kill expect payment. 



After we returned to the hotel, we began to 

 figure. Based on the damage paid for such 

 suits, we came to the conclusion that that shot 

 would have cost each of us at least two dollars 

 and thirty cents. 



