vir DEATH OF THE FIRST MAN-EATER gI 
convinced that one of the “devils” who had so 
long harried us would trouble us no more. 
As soon as I ceased firing, a tumult of inquiring 
voices was borne across the dark jungle from the 
men in camp about a quarter of a mile away. I 
shouted back that I was safe and sound, and that 
one of the lions was dead : whereupon such a mighty 
cheer went up from all the camps as must have 
astonished the denizens of the jungle for miles 
around. Shortly I saw scores of lights twinkling 
through the bushes : every man in camp turned out, 
and with tom-toms beating and horns blowing came 
running to the scene. They surrounded my eyrie, 
and to my amazement prostrated themselves on the 
ground before me, saluting me with cries of ‘‘ A/aéa- 
vak ! Mabarak /” which I believe means ‘blessed 
one” or “saviour.” All the same, I refused to allow 
any search to be made that night for the body of 
the lion, in case his companion might be close by ; 
besides, it was possible that he might be still alive, 
and capable of making a last spring. Accordingly 
we all returned in triumph to the camp, where great 
rejoicings were kept up for the remainder of the 
night, the Swahili and other African natives 
celebrating the occasion by an especially wild and 
savage dance. 
For my part, I anxiously awaited the dawn ; and 
even before it was thoroughly light I was on my 
way to the eventful spot, as I could not completely 
