250 A COLONY IN THE MAKING chap. 



Of these methods the last three are the most effec- 

 tive, and, where it is desirable that the vicinity should 

 be rid of vermin which are doing damage to stock 

 or sheep, must be resorted to. There is the additional 

 advantage that practically no danger attaches to any 

 of these methods. The use of strychnine, unfortu- 

 nately, almost invariably destroys the skin, by causing 

 the hair to become loose, and thereby lessens its 

 commercial value. The palm for sport must be 

 awarded to the traditional method of the Masai and 

 Nandi, who run the lion down on foot and despatch 

 him with their long-bladed spears. The blades of 

 these spears are often more than 3 feet long, and a 

 warrior can hurl them with such force that they will 

 completely transfix a lion and stand out a foot on the 

 far side. Fatal accidents are far fewer than might be 

 imagined. When the beast charges he is met by a 

 phalanx of locked shields, and his end comes before he 

 has time to do much damage. The chief danger is 

 caused by the eagerness of young warriors to get the 

 first spear in, and thereby to become the possessor of 

 a lion's mane head-dress, the desideratum of every 

 young man. 



The most sporting methods for Europeans are 

 riding down and tracking. The modus operandi of 

 the former method is as follows. Having come to an 

 open portion of country which is known to be the habitat 

 of lions, four or five horsemen line up at the very crack 

 of dawn at intervals of some 200 yards. When the 

 quarry is sighted he is pursued by the nearest horseman, 

 the others joining in on the flanks and attract the 

 beast's attention should he attempt to turn on his 

 nearest pursuer, which is seldom the case. Except 

 for the first few bounds a comparatively slow pony has 



