AT FORT LAMY 141 



but Mandara, in broken English, said that if we 

 kept it the zakoki were fit to die. Naturally we 

 assumed that he meant reverse -wise, — that the cubs 

 would kill it. However, he remained much disturbed, 

 and summoned Situ to act interpreter. Situ cast one 

 glance at the little beast and then he too became 

 grave. Yes, that was a nama (animal) that had bad 

 ju-ju for head, and was fit to kill everything. First 

 the zakoki, then us. It had the power of assuming 

 all sorts of shapes, that of a snake or any other animal, 

 and we should surely die. Nothing could kill it except 

 a dog specially prepared for the purpose by magic ; 

 however, it was mortal, and could die. 



We felt little doubt that it would, with extraneous 

 aid, were we to disregard these warnings, so we mourn- 

 fully refused it our hospitality. 



Captain Facon gave us another present, — a little 

 tiger-cat of extreme beauty but equal fierceness. She 

 was very tiny when she arrived, but swore and 

 scratched and bit, and would not be comforted. The 

 boys were afraid of her, and as she grew older we, too, 

 refrained from forcing our blandishments upon her. 

 She would not have it, but our hearts went out in pity 

 for the solitary little beast who knew no friendship and 

 who could not believe in kindness. 



Later we sent her to Maifoni by land, under the 

 charge of our headman. She could not have crossed 

 Lake Chad with ourselves and the zakoki in the 

 narrow confines of a canoe. When we rejoined her, her 

 hind legs were paralysed, and as she showed no signs 

 of recovery we killed her rather than subject her to the 

 long march to Kano. Probably the boys had feared to 



