FISH OR LION? 



her when he brought her back to me and said : " I 

 have broken my religion to save your plucky dog." 



The country we were then in was bad going for 

 horses, volcanic craters, hidden valleys and rocks 

 making it very hard going. 



I was spending a day fishing, or rather trying to catch 

 fish, when Mahomed rushed down in great excitement 

 to inform me that one of the SomaUs had just come 

 in with fresh news. He and his companions had 

 found a fine full-maned lion and were holding him 

 up for me some five miles away. Fish ! What were 

 fish to news like this ? I hurried back to camp, 

 snatched a mouthful of food, a proceeding which 

 the Masai watched will ill-concealed impatience, then, 

 accompanied by our spearmen, made for the scene 

 of action. 



The distance proved greater than had been expected, 

 and it was about two hours before we joined the 

 horsemen. Our guide had told the truth. The 

 lion was a magnificent specimen, and in a temper 

 befitting an annoyed king of beasts. His great, 

 shaggy mane was hanging over his eyes, his tail was 

 lashing his back, whilst every few seconds he almost 

 made the ground shake with his roaring. 



The SomaUs, I could see, had him well in hand. 

 He was raging at his enemies, but he was also puzzled 

 at their numbers and absence of fear, and did not 

 know which way to turn. A horseman was always 



207 



