236 



UNDER THE AFRICAN SUN 



the most distant and remote outpost of civilisation and British 

 authority, and the dead Honess ! From tip of nose to tip of tail 

 the lioness measured seven feet six inches, but the skin when 

 stretched out to dry measured nine feet four inches. With 

 man-eating tigers in India the skin is said to be mangy, but 

 this skin was in beautiful condition. 



I had left my hut at 7.30 P.M. and at 7.45 P.M. I was back 

 with the dead man-eater, and yet so much was crowded into 

 this quarter of an hour. It took a long time, before everybody 



THE LIONESS AT FAJAO. 



quieted down and went off to sleep. The goat was released 

 from its unenviable position of serving as live bait for a 

 lion, and then I too thought it high time to prepare for rest. 

 Just then terrific screams from the Soudanese village once more 

 caused me to hurry with loaded rifle to the rescue. Guided by 

 the shrieks, we — the native lieutenant and others having joined 

 me promptly on the way — reached a hut with the door fast closed. 

 We burst the door open and rushed in. The torches lit up the 

 interior, and showed us two women clinging to each other. One 

 of them had had the nightmare, and had dreamt the dead lioness 

 had come to life again and had entered her hut. Her shrieks 



