BRINGING HOME A LIVELY COMPANION. 123 



him to account in many other excellent ways, the tongue 

 being a special breakfast luxury ; and even a marrow- 

 bone is not forgotten. A chase after a buffalo bull-calf 

 to-day afforded some of our men besides myself great 

 sport, and he was ultimately caught and brought back 

 after a fashion in triumph to camp, though not before he 

 had had a little fun on his own account. After a rope 

 had been fastened round his neck he positively refused 

 to be led or pushed from behind, so the dragging process 

 had to be adopted, and for a few moments successfully ; 

 but suddenly changing his tactics he made a charge, and, 

 catching one of the Arabs exactly in the right place, 

 sent him flying. This proceeding brought them to a 

 mutual understanding ; so as long as the rope remained 

 taut the men pulled, but the instant it slackened they 

 .ran for their lives with the calf close on their heels ; and 

 so they progressed merrily on their way together until, 

 the journey over, a frightful gash across the throat put 

 an end at once to his part of the sport. We are now 

 only waiting for the new moon to devote part of the 

 night to watching for lions. That they abound here we 

 have ample evidence, for not only can we hear them 

 roaring at night round our camp, but we also see almost 

 daily remnants of the large antelope and buffaloes which 

 have been killed by them ; and if any animals we shoot 

 <are so far from camp that they cannot be sent for the 

 same day, there are always very distinct evidences on 



