A MASAI DANCE 



with the camera. We were not to leave Cole's camp 

 till we got the message, and everything was to be kept 

 in readiness for a hurried trek. I picked out my boys 

 carefully, made sure that the cameras were in perfect 

 order, and packed up an emergency medical outfit. 

 Cole had fifteen Masai spearmen, who were to tackle 

 the lions right in front of me. These were in a great 

 state of enthusiasm over the prospect, especially as 

 they were very eager to get at some man-eaters. 



Every spear was sharpened and tested, resharpened 

 and tested again. The edges of the swords were tried, 

 the fastenings of the shields inspected. Then, when 

 all was in readiness, an " ingoma " or dance was begun 

 in the light of the huge camp-fire. Round and round, 

 up and down, the warriors danced, chanting their weird 

 dirges all the time. At one moment all their spears 

 were poised in the air, as if to strike ; and at another 

 the men were crouching behind their shields on the 

 ground, ready to meet a charge; and in a flash 

 they were on their feet again taking the offensive. 

 Every minute the dance grew more and more wild, 

 more and more furious, the songs were ever louder 

 and more ominous, the jangle of bells which the 

 dancers wore on a beaded garter just below the 

 knee was more insistent. At last the dancers seemed 

 to have reached the point of absolute frenzy ; you 

 could imagine them doing almost anything rash, 

 anything horrible ; then came one blood-curdling, wild 



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