72 THE MAN-EATERS OF TSAVO CHAP. 
the sand which had left the marks we had taken to 
be the trail of a wounded lion. By this time the 
beasts had retired far into the thick jungle where it 
was impossible to follow them, so we had the 
remains of the coolie buried and once more returned 
home disappointed. 
Now the bravest men in the world, much less the 
ordinary Indian coolie, will not stand constant 
terrors of this sort indefinitely. The whole district 
was by this time thoroughly panic-stricken, and I 
was not at all surprised, therefore, to find on my 
return to camp that same afternoon (December 1) 
that the men had all struck work and were waiting 
to speak to me. When I sent for them, they flocked 
to my éoma in a body and stated that they would 
not remain at Tsavo any longer for anything or any- 
body ; they had come from India on an agreement 
to work for the Government, not to supply food for _ 
either lions or “devils.” No sooner had _ they 
delivered this ultimatum than a regular stampede 
took place. Some hundreds of them stopped the 
first passing train by throwing themselves on the 
rails in front of the engine, and then, swarming on 
to the trucks and throwing in their possessions 
anyhow, they fled from the accursed spot. 
After this the railway works were completely 
stopped ; and for the next three weeks practically 
nothing was done but build ‘ lion-proof ” huts for 
1 
