124 SPORT IN THE EASTERN SUDAN 



the track of one lion immediately in meshra opposite, 

 possibly the one wounded by 0. C., and spent the rest 

 of the morning making a machan. Saw a herd of 

 koodoo come down to drink opposite the camp, but 

 they were too far to stalk, and I was told afterwards 

 that there was no bull. In the afternoon I was 

 going out to look at the meshra, and met a herd of 

 ariel, bagging one of 12| inches. The rest of the herd 

 scarcely moved to the shot, though fired at 40 yards, 

 but I did not want another. Afterwards, to my 

 disgust, S., whom I had specially retained to look 

 after my skins, totally spoiled the head-skin by 

 cutting away half of the lining of the ears. I dis- 

 charged him in consequence, more especially as 

 Amir Baksh had sent me an impertinent message, 

 when I sent the head to him to clean, the moral of 

 course being not to keep two men for one man's 

 work. Sat over a goat in new machan in evening 

 without success. 



January 8th. Spent the night in new machan. 

 Nothing occurred until an hour or so before dawn, 

 when I was awakened from peaceful dreams by a rush 

 below and screams from the goat. I aligned my -500 

 and turned on the light, and saw a lion standing 

 below over the goat, facing me, but looking back over 

 his shoulder. He did not even trouble to turn round 

 on seeing the light, possibly because the grass had just 

 been burned and fire was still visible occasionally here 



