FATAL ENCOUNTER WITH LIONS 119 



as we could. The tent boy was then sent back 

 to Chapman's camp with the mule. 



At breakfast time the next morning, who 

 should appear but the same boy, this time riding 

 the mule. He carried another note from his 

 master saying that after the fight, the Masai 

 had attacked the lions and that two of the men 

 were badly mauled. He wanted the doctor to 

 come over as soon as possible and treat them. 



The doctor left immediately and returned 

 late that evening, and this is the story he told: 



"Chapman had camped near a Masai * kraal/ 

 and, after selling the villagers a few sheep, he 

 asked them if they knew where there were any 

 lions. They took him to a thicket that even- 

 tually proved to be the lair of a troop of lions. 

 It was then late in the evening, so the English- 

 man decided to postpone his attack until the 

 following day. 



"Soon after daylight Chapman returned with 

 his boys and a Masai spearman, and, sneaking 

 up to the thicket he saw two half -grown cubs 

 playing at the skirting. He opened fire and 

 wounded them, but they bolted out of sight 

 into the brush before they could be despatched. 

 He circled the brush patch several times, but 



