42 THE LAND OF THE LION 



was not a success. Not to be too prolix, I will state what 

 a sefari should further consist of. 



There should be interpreters, men who can speak to 

 the Massai, Kiuyuk, Sambowru or N'dorobo or any 

 tribes occupying the country you intend to explore or hunt 

 in. As I say in another place, the services of the local 

 native are often of utmost importance, and unless you can 

 communicate freely with him, not only in a few jumbled 

 half understood words, you will often fail, though your 

 perseverance in travelling has brought you to the verge 

 of a most gratifying success. 



Quite as important is the tracker, I have written of 

 him also elsewhere. Look long and patiently for him! 

 When he is found, hold him fast. Let his burden be light 

 day by day, or let him have no burden at all. Then, if 

 you are bent on lion, you must furnish yourself with some- 

 one else besides your specially chosen and highly paid 

 gunbearer. Lion hunting must have, as it deserves, a 

 chapter to itself. I shall content myself for the present by 

 saying that there are many parts of the country where 

 more lions can be brought to bag by the use of ponies 

 than the most persevering and expert sportsman can get 

 by foot. Lion riding needs one, better two, mounted 

 Somali. Somali cost money, and often cost besides 

 that an immense amount of annoyance. They are every- 

 thing that is bad, but cowards, and lion riding needs a 

 plucky man. They are fair horsemen, though they seldom 

 take good care of a horse, and they ride light. 



For a long time I scorned the advice of one or two 

 knowing friends who urged Somali on me. But circum- 

 stances in the end proved too much for me. I found 

 myself in a country full of swamps and full of lions, where 

 the ground was made for fast riding, and where, work hard 

 as I might, I could get no nearer to my lordly game than 

 half a mile or so. To see one, two, nay, as I have, ten, 



