BRITISH EAST AFRICA 197 



far side. The inference was obvious. A narrow 

 isthmus of bush connected the clump with a thick 

 strip of undergrowth, and just on the other side of this 

 isthmus we placed ourselves. Then we sent round 

 the Kamba to heave in rocks. At the first one 

 the lioness jumped out within ten yards of him and 

 back again. He rushed round to where we were 

 standing, making excited signals. 



" He says the lions are out ! " cried Hassan, and 

 we both raced round the clump. No lions to be seen. 

 Then the Kamba explained what had happened. 

 Back we went, and there, in the little strip of 

 connecting bush, were the tracks. Whilst we had 

 been on the far side they had escaped. I often heard 

 lions after that, but never saw one again. 



Burton visited his zebra the morning after he had 

 shot it, and found no signs of lions. The next 

 morning, thinking there would be nothing there he 

 did not trouble to stalk it, but strolled casually up, 

 and there were five lions on the carcase ! This same 

 day I shot a big puff adder with a beautifully marked 

 skin, the only snake, with one other exception, which 

 I saw in East Africa. 



We had been following the lion tracks under a hot 

 sun for about seven hours and I was very done. Often 

 when the glare from the parched ground grew almost 

 intolerable, and the low distant hills were hidden in a 

 blue haze, I longed for the cool wet greens of a 

 Highland birch-wood. I saw the burn come laughing 

 and murmuring down the hillside among the grey 



