IN AFRICAN FOREST AND JUNGLE 



two together, so they have separated in order that 

 each may have enough to eat." 



After a while their voices came nearer and nearer, 

 and our position became, I thought, dangerous. 



Rogala said in a very low tone : " The nginas are 

 going to meet before night ; for they will sleep very 

 near together." 



Louder and louder their guttural roar-like sounds 

 came. At last they seemed to be abreast of us, one 

 on either side. I asked Rogala in a very low tone : 

 " Have the nginas scented us ? " 



" No," he replied in a whisper ; " they are talking 

 to each other, and will gradually meet as they come 

 along picking berries and fruits. The nginas can 

 see wonderfully well through the jungle. So let us 

 stand perfectly still. 



" The female ngina always runs away," continued 

 Rogala. "It is the male ngina that fights, but both 

 are afraid of noise, and when they hear it they go in 

 an opposite direction. It is only when the male is 

 suddenly surprised by the appearance of a man that 

 he attacks him, or when he is tired of being followed 

 or tracked. Then he makes a stand. Then it is a 

 fight for life." 



There was no mistake. The nginas were abreast 

 of us, and we were not more than half a mile from 



74 



