My Conditions with Natives 91 



tolerate, of carrying a rifle with its butt behind, under 

 the pretext that the weapon is better balanced. 

 Leaving out of consideration the fact that perspira- 

 tion from the hand rusts the barrels, if, unfortunately. 

 the hammers are at full-cock a branch is quite suffi- 

 cient when on the march to discharge the weapon. 

 And then let those who are in front beware ! Have 

 we not enough enemies in Africa already, fever, sick- 

 ness, anaemia, and animals, without having to fear a 

 violent and unexpected death through the clumsiness 

 of a servant ? 



Let us return to our lion. He was, doubtless, too 

 singed for there to be a chance of again surrounding 

 him. Muzzle-loaders would have had to be left at the 

 village and the assagai would have had to be the only 

 weapon allowed to ensure success. But that was 

 impossible. I gave up the undertaking and left 

 them to get out of their difficulties alone. Since 

 this adventure I have laid down the following con- 

 ditions each time that I have had to track a man- 

 eater : no guns, but clubs, assagais, and arrows, and 

 drums as many as they like. I have said already 

 that natives never attack the lion which lives 

 normally : when they meet it they give way to 

 it : it is usual, on the other hand, to destroy at all 

 cost lions which attack the inhabitants. 1 I left that 

 work for them to do and overtook my expedition 

 three days later. 



This period was particularly fertile in adventures 

 with lions. In fact, during April I met with several 



1 See Mes Grandes Chasses, pp. 207, 208. 



