VICTORIA NYANZA 123 



finally managed to get as far as Gilgil, where young 

 Penfold, who had been in Africa for some time without 

 seeing a Hon, agreed to drive to camp, if Ted would 

 assure him of a meeting with the king of beasts. 



After Ted had completed his story, Mike said to 

 Penfold, "Guess we will have to take you out and 

 show you some Hons," to which he repHed, *'No hurry 

 — saw plenty of them last night — in fact, I'm ready 

 to go home now I" Then it was Penf old's turn to tell 

 of what had happened the night before at the first 

 donga this side of the Gurmeti. 



A fight shower had softened the road and as they 

 were heavily loaded with food suppfies and gasofine, 

 they got stuck in the bottom of this deep donga, the 

 truck not having enough power to puU up the opposite 

 bank. It was just at dusk, and while trying to get the 

 truck out, they heard a fion grunt within a few feet of 

 them. Penfold did not know what it was, but Ted 

 did, so casuaUy turning to his companion he asked, 

 "Did you hear that fion grunt right over there?" and 

 as if in answer there were several more grunts ; where- 

 upon the men made a hurried exit, grabbing bedding, 

 a box of food and the rifles, as they abandoned the 

 donga. Going about one hundred yards from the 

 ravine they found a likely place to camp near a large 

 dead tree which would make a good fire. This had 

 hardly commenced to blaze brightly when darkness 

 feU suddenly, as it does in the tropics. Shortly after- 

 wards, Mr. Lion stalked out into the open toward the 

 fire, followed by six lionesses. When Ted caUed Pen- 

 fold's attention to the troop, he exclaimed, "I say, old 

 man, do they come in flocks fike that.^" Ted fired a 

 few shots to frighten them, but in spite of this they 



