i88 LIFE WITH THE HAMRAN ARABS. 



lions was concerned we might just as well have stayed 

 at home, for they had dragged the remains into a thick 

 jungle far above our heads, and in its dry state it gave 

 them timely notice of our approach. Guided by the 

 vultures, who were eagerly watching the feast from the 

 surrounding trees, we entered the jungle from different 

 points, and happening to catch a glimpse of the back of 

 a lion as he sprang through the grass close in front of 

 me I gave him a salute, to which he replied with a 

 roar as he continued his course onwards. Vivian heard 

 another go away in his direction. We then remained 

 in ambush near the buffalo, keeping a very sharp look- 

 out in all directions for any movement in the jungle 

 until after sunset, but we neither saw them nor heard 

 them again, and then in the rapidly supervening dark- 

 ness we had to follow our men home as best we could. 

 They did not at all realise the fact that our eyes have 

 not the cat-like powers of their own, and we consequently 

 had some narrow escapes from breaking our noses over 

 roots or fallen branches. Mohamed on one occasion, in 

 letting go a small mimosa branch which he had carefully 

 avoided, very nearly succeeded in doing serious injury 

 to Vivian, as in swinging back it gave him a very sharp 

 blow across the right eyelid. Had it struck the eye 

 his chances of sport would have been brought to a sum- 

 mary conclusion. 



The wounded hand has already quite healed, and the 



