chap. V. LIONS. 225 



their seniors were ; these at once departed to bring in 

 firewood and to fetch water, the elder men dividing 

 themselves into two parties ; one to cut reeds for me and 

 grass for their own and their absent masters' beds, the 

 other to cut great branches of thorn, with which to form 

 a rude but strong fence round three parts of the fig-tree. 

 My own camp was easily made. The flat circular top of 

 the mimosa served as a roof, which we could afterwards 

 make rain-proof by spreading wet buffalo hides over it, 

 and a fence of reeds was put all round, which was further 

 strengthened from the attacks of prowling wolves, or 

 other wild animals, by an outer ring of thorn branches. 

 An entrance was left facing the fires of the larger camp, 

 beside which the boys told off for that duty made a great 

 pile of wood to replenish the guard fire which would be 

 lighted there during the long night. Inside, after the 

 ground had been scraped and all inequalities removed, 

 several armfuls of grass were strewn, over which we 

 spread our mats and blankets. 



It took some time to do all this, and the men were 

 still dragging in great logs and trunks of fallen trees, 

 which had proved too much for the strength of the boys, 

 when the hunters began to arrive. The first half-dozen 

 came in quietly enough, put their guns down, and took 

 off the belt which supported their bandolier and powder- 

 horn, without saying a word, unless to ask for water. 

 No one questioned them, for it was evident by their 

 silence that they had been unsuccessful. Next a solitary 

 voice was heard chanting a hunting song, which, as soon 

 as its owner was near enough for the camp boys to distin- 

 guish which division of it he was a member of, was joined 



p 



