ii APPEARANCE OF THE MAN-EATERS 27 



the rocky nature of the ground which they seemed 

 to be careful to choose in retreating to their den. 



At this early stage of the struggle, I am glad to 

 say, the lions were not always successful in their 

 efforts to capture a human being for their nightly 

 meal, and one or two amusing incidents occurred to 

 relieve the tension from which our nerves were 

 beginning to suffer. On one occasion an enterpris- 

 ing bunniah (Indian trader) was riding along on his 

 donkey late one night, when suddenly a lion sprang 

 out on him, knocking over both man and beast. 

 The donkey was badly wounded, and the lion was 

 just about to seize the trader, when in some way. or 

 other his claws became entangled in a rope by which 

 two empty oil tins were strung across the donkey's 

 neck. The rattle and clatter made by these as he 

 dragged them after him gave him such a fright that 

 he turned tail and bolted off into the jungle, to the 

 intense relief of the terrified bunniah, who quickly 

 made his way up the nearest tree and remained there, 

 shivering with fear, for the rest of the night. 



Shortly after this episode, a Greek contractor 

 named Themistocles Pappadimitrini had an equally 

 marvellous escape. He was sleeping peacefully in 

 his tent one night, when a lion broke in, and seized 

 and made off with the mattress on which he was 

 lying. Though rudely awakened, the Greek was 

 quite unhurt and suffered from nothing worse than a 



