42 THE LAND OF THE LION 
was not a success. Not to be too prolix, I will state what 
a sefari should further consist of. 
There should be interpreters, men who can speak to 
the Massai, Kiuyuk, Sambowru or N’dorobo or any 
tribes occupying the country you intend to explore or hunt 
in. As I say in another place, the services of the local 
native are often of utmost importance, and unless you can 
communicate freely with him, not only in a few jumbled 
half understood words, you will often fail, though your 
perseverance in travelling has brought you to the verge 
of a most gratifying success. 
Quite as important is the tracker, I have written of 
him also elsewhere. Look long and patiently for him! 
When he is found, hold him fast. Let his burden be light 
day by day, or let him have no burden at all. Then, if 
you are bent on lion, you must furnish yourself with some- 
one else besides your specially chosen and highly paid 
gunbearer. Lion hunting must have, as it deserves, a 
chapter to itself. I shall content myself for the present by 
saying that there are many parts of the country where 
more lions can be brought to bag by the use of ponies 
than the most persevering and expert sportsman can get 
by foot. Lion riding needs one, better two, mounted 
Somali. Somali cost money, and often cost besides. 
that an immense amount of annoyance. ‘They are every- 
thing that is bad, but cowards, and lion riding needs a 
plucky man. ‘They are fair horsemen, though they seldom 
take good care of a horse, and they ride light. 
For a long time I scorned the advice of one or two 
knowing friends who urged Somali on me. But circum- 
stances in the end proved too much for me. I found 
myself in a country full of swamps and full of lions, where 
the ground was made for fast riding, and where, work hard 
as I might, I could get no nearer to my lordly game than 
half a mile or so. To see one, two, nay, as I have, ten, 
