86 SAFARI 



At ten o'clock, I was asleep. As the bright moon- 

 light was reflected by the sandy alkali soil it seemed 

 almost like day. Suddenly I was awakened by a 

 gentle push in my ribs and Osa warned me in a 

 whisper not to make any noise. I slowly raised up 

 and looked out through our peep hole. There was a 

 full-grown maneless lion standing near the zebra kill. 

 He was a beauty, his head moving in every direction 

 very slowly as if to see that everything was all right 

 before starting to eat. • 



It was a fine sight. But the lion was not in the 

 exact position I wanted him. Also his head was too 

 far down. When he moved a little nearer I whistled 

 gently. At this he looked around but not far 

 enough. Then I turned my pocket flashlight on 

 him. Now he looked directly at me, but not in 

 alarm. At this instant I pressed the button of my 

 flash. It went off with a loud boom. The lion was 

 temporarily blinded and sprang wildly into the thorn 

 fence we had laid to guide him before the camera. 

 The photograph turned out beautifully. 



All waterhole work, night or day, was not as simple 

 as that just described. For instance, some of the 

 nicest pools were made dangerous by arrows of the 

 native tribe of Ndoros. These shafts were set up in 

 such a way that the animals coming to drink would 

 let go a string that would cause a hidden bow to shoot 

 the arrow direct at the drinking animal. A danger- 



