In Wildest Africa -^ 



grown. As he had been slightly hurt in the process 

 of capture, I tended him myself most carefully, and 

 experienced great satisfaction on his restoration to health. 

 From the time of his recovery the bird was faithful to 

 me, and did not leave the camp any more, although he 

 Was only caged at night-time ! He attached himself to 

 my headman, and tried to bite both men and beasts 

 whom he considered as not to be trusted, and generally 

 sat very solemnly in the vicinity of my camp and greeted 

 me on my home-comings by wagging his head and 

 flapping his wings. Such a clatter he made as he 

 gravely rushed backwards and forwards ! Not until I 

 caressed him would he be quiet. After a time he began 

 to build himself a nest under the shade of a bush quite 

 close to my tent. The dimensions of this nest gradually 

 increased in an extraordinary manner. This eyrie he 

 defended to the utmost, and would not allow my blacks 

 to go near it, or any of his animal companions. Great 

 battles took place, but he always made his opponents 

 take to their heels, and even the poor old donkey, if it 

 happened to come his way. On the other hand, he was 

 very friendly with my young rhinoceros. It was an 

 extraordinary sight to see the rhinoceros with its friends, 

 the goats and the solemn bird. Two fine Colobus 

 monkeys, three young lions, young ostriches, geese, and 

 various other creatures made up my little zoological 

 garden. They all were good friends among themselves 

 and with my tame hens, which used to prefer to lay 

 their eggs in my tent and in those of the bearers. 

 Sometimes I used to entrust some francolin eggs to 



596 



