PREPARATIONS FOR DEPARTURE 11 



close shave, for only by sending them down by pas- 

 senger train on that morning were they able to 

 reach Southampton. Fortunately our hopes were 

 fulfilled, and at last we received word that they 

 were on board and were careening down toward 

 Naples, where we expected to join them on the 

 thirtieth. 



Studying the Lion's Vital Spots 



After disposing of this important preliminary, 

 we then had time to visit the zoo at South Kensing- 

 ton and the British museum of natural history, 

 where we carefully studied many of the animals 

 that we hoped to meet later under less formal con- 

 ditions. We picked out the vital spots, as seen 

 from all angles, and nothing then remained to be 

 done but to get down to British East Africa with 



