vni DEATH OF THE FIRST MAN-EATER 91 



convinced that one of the "devils" who had so 

 long harried us would trouble us no more. 



As soon as I ceased firing, a tumult of inquiring 

 voices was borne across the dark jungle from the 

 men in camp about a quarter of a mile away. I 

 shouted back that I was safe and sound, and that 

 one of the lions was dead : whereupon such a mighty 

 cheer went up from all the camps as must have 

 astonished the denizens of the jungle for miles 

 around. Shortly I saw scores of lights twinkling 

 through the bushes : every man in camp turned out, 

 and with tom-toms beating and horns blowing came 

 running to the scene. They surrounded my eyrie, 

 and to my amazement prostrated themselves on the 

 ground before me, saluting me with cries of " Maba- 

 rak ! Mabarak!" which I believe means "blessed 

 one " or " saviour." All the same, I refused to allow 

 any search to be made that night for the body of 

 the lion, in case his companion might be close by ; 

 besides, it was possible that he might be still alive, 

 and capable of making a last spring. Accordingly 

 we all returned in triumph to the camp, where great 

 rejoicings were kept up for the remainder of the 

 night, the Swahili and other African natives 

 celebrating the occasion by an especially wild and 

 savage dance. 



For my part, I anxiously awaited the dawn ; and 

 even before it was thoroughly light I was on my 

 way to the eventful spot, as I could not completely 



