22 THE MAN-EATERS OF TSAVO CHAP. 



man had indeed been carried off by a lion, as its 

 "pug" marks were plainly visible in the sand, while 

 the furrows made by the heels of the victim showed 

 the direction in which he had been dragged away. 

 Moreover, the jemadar shared his tent with half a 

 dozen other workmen, and one of his bedfellows 

 had actually witnessed the occurrence. He graphic- 

 ally described how, at about midnight, the lion 

 suddenly put its head in at the open tent door and 

 seized Ungan Singh who happened to be nearest 

 the opening by the throat. The unfortunate 

 fellow cried out " O0n? " (" Let go"), and threw 

 his arms up round the lion's neck. The next 

 moment he was gone, and his panic-stricken com- 

 panions lay helpless, forced to listen to the terrible 

 struggle which took place outside. Poor Ungan 

 Singh must have died hard ; but what chance had 

 he? As a coolie gravely remarked, " Was he not 

 fighting with a lion ? " 



On hearing this dreadful story I at once set out 

 to try to track the animal, and was accompanied by 

 Captain Haslem, who happened to be staying at 

 Tsavo at the time, and who, poor fellow, himself 

 met with a tragic fate very shortly afterwards. We 

 found it an easy matter to follow the route taken by 

 the lion, as he appeared to have stopped several 

 times before beginning his meal. Pools of blood 

 marked these halting-places, where he doubtless 



