36 THE MAN-EATERS OF TSAVO CHAP. 
vacated doma in the hope of getting an opportunity 
of bagging one of them; but in the middle of my 
lonely vigil I had the mortification of hearing shrieks 
and cries coming from the direction of the new 
hospital, telling me only too plainly that our 
dreaded foes had once more eluded me. Hurrying 
to the place at daylight I found that one of the lions 
had jumped over the newly erected fence and had 
carried off the hospital d/zs¢z (water-carrier), and 
that several other coolies had been unwilling 
witnesses of the terrible scene which took place 
within the circle of light given by the big camp fire. 
The dh7s¢7, it appears, had been lying on the floor, 
with his head towards the centre of the tent and his 
feet nearly touching the side. The lion managed to 
get its head in below the canvas, seized him by the 
foot and pulled him out. In desperation the un- 
fortunate water-carrier clutched hold of a heavy box 
in a vain attempt to prevent himself being carried 
off, and dragged it with him until he was forced to 
let go by its being stopped by the side of the tent. 
He then caught hold of a tent rope, and clung 
tightly to it until it broke. As soon as the lion 
managed to get him clear of the tent, he sprang at 
his throat and after a few vicious shakes the poor 
bhiste's agonising cries were silenced for ever. The 
brute then seized him in his mouth, like a huge cat 
with a mouse, and ran up and down the Jdoma 
