THE LION COUNTRY 



experiences. They had come upon a party of eight 

 lions, among which were three large males ; these had 

 devoured the remains of the two zebras, then one of 

 them, finding the meal insufficient, had taken a case 

 of preserved meat I had left lying on the ground and 

 finished the contents. The proof of the crime was 

 brought to me j the Hon which had bitten into it must 

 have had splendid teeth. Perhaps I may find it to- 

 morrow by the eland ! . . . I reached the carcase at 

 dawn, which, however, did not appear to have been 

 touched. I uncocked my rifle and laid it across my 

 shoulder. At the same instant a leopard appeared, 

 the only one I had ever seen wild in broad daylight. 

 Unfortunately, it vanished before I could fire. As 

 for the lions I saw no trace of them. I had not time 

 to search for them any more, as I had a lot to do at 

 Guengere. I therefore hastened to regain my head- 

 quarters, terminating without accident a splendid 

 journey of three months, the results of which exceeded 

 my greatest hopes. 



■ ( 131 ) 



