CHAPTER XI 



August 26. — Returned early to the thicket. Had 

 the Koness several times within a few yards, but 

 could not get a sight of her. The zebra was pretty 

 well eaten up. This in spite of the fact that the dead 

 lion 's carcass lay within eighty yards. Evidently conju- 

 gal affection did not go so far as to destroy appetite. 

 Several hundred carrion birds sat around in neighbour- 

 ing trees, but they had not yet ventured to the feast. 

 I have many times noticed this peculiar action. The 

 birds could clean up an ordinary carcass in five minutes, 

 but will often leave a lion untouched for days, though 

 they cannot bear to go away. 



Then beat down the ravine for some distance, and 

 cut across the hills home. At one place a herd of zebra 

 departed over the hill. A spoiled child of a colt, not hav- 

 ing seen us, refused to be hurried just because the elders 

 chose to go off in such a hurry. Anxious mamma, at the 

 top of the hill, uttered impatient and worried commands. 

 He toddled along, his eyes half closed, his ears laid 

 back crossly, replying every once in a while with a 

 sulky, petulant bark. So busy was he in having his 

 own way that I got within a few yards of him. And 

 then how he flew ! "Mamma was right after all ! '' 



138 



