TO THE UASIN GISHU 



413 



treating, but could not make out whether they were those 

 of a lion or a hyena. Going back to his tent he lay down on 

 his bed with his face turned toward the tent wall. Just as 

 he was falling to sleep the canvas was pushed almost into 

 his face by the head of some creature outside; immediately 

 afterward he heard the sound of a heavy animal galloping, 

 and then the scream of one of his porters whom the lion 

 had seized and was dragging off into the darkness. Rush- 



The Nandi dance around the speared lion 

 From a. photograph by Hermit Roosevelt 



ing out with his rifle he fired toward the sounds, shooting 

 high; the lion let go his hold and made off, and the man 

 ultimately recovered. 



It has been said that lions are monogamous and that 

 they mate for life. If this were so they would almost 

 always be found in pairs, a lion and a lioness. They are 

 sometimes so found ; but it is much more common to come 

 across a lioness and her cubs, an old lion with several lion- 

 esses and their young (for they are often polygamous), 

 a single lion or lioness, or a couple of lions or lionesses, or 

 a small troop, either all lions or all lionesses, or of mixed 

 sexes. These facts are not compatible with the romantic 

 theory in question. 



