ONE AFRICAN DAY 219 



except a really large and heavily-maned lion if the 

 chance occurs. Altogether it was a lucky day for 

 us in getting two lionesses in the morning and a 

 lion in the afternoon. The headman and porters 

 in camp again celebrated the occasion, and one 

 native, with his face painted white, danced about 

 brandishing a club to represent the powers of the 

 white man ! The latter would, as far as I am con- 

 cerned, rather tackle a lion with a hard-hitting 

 modern rifle than with a club or spear ! " 



Thus ended a day of great success, and one that 

 will live in the memory. 



As we sat at night over the camp fire and heard 

 the lions rumbling in all directions, it seemed as 

 if we had for the moment reached the acme of human 

 enjoyment. Just to be in Africa's Wonderland — 

 and in the very best of it — free from all the cares 

 and worries of human civilisation, with the power 

 to roam at will into the great lands beyond where 

 no man passes, was in itself, to lovers of the wilder- 

 ness, an experience many strive for and few ex- 

 perience. When we add to this the delights of 

 big-game hunting — surely the finest sport in the 

 world — in a land that is still quite unspoilt, and 

 where anything may turn up from an Elephant to 

 a Dik-dik, life could hold nothing better, for it 

 is the man's life above all others which nothing 

 in existence could surpass. 



" My brain likes London," once remarked a lady 

 to me, " but my body prefers the country." That 

 exhibits a certain wisdom which all healthy and 

 intelligent people understand. To enjoy our little 

 day here on earth there should be a happy com- 



