210 WAR: CAMPAIGNING IN EAST AFRICA 



really did hope our troubles for the night were over 

 — but not a bit of it. Within half an hour another 

 series of yells and howls from the porters' camp 

 hard by revealed that the spotted devil had re- 

 turned to the charge. After the askaris had 

 driven off again our too persistent visitor, this 

 time with shots sufficient to represent creditably 

 a small battle, they brought along a sorry-looking 

 spectacle in the shape of my neapara (head porter), 

 who had been snatched from his blankets and 

 dragged off several yards. He, too, was badly 

 bitten about the head and around the eyes. All 

 this must surely have been most trying for poor 

 H., horribly mauled and in great pain himself, 

 but like the plucky chap he was, he only remarked 

 that I seemed to be running a casualty clearing 

 station. 



There was no more sleep for anyone that night ; 

 my men, all crouching around the fires, discussed 

 this new business that had befallen us. " That's 

 no leopard/' I said; " that must be an old lion," 

 and though they agreed with me, I could see they 

 did not believe it was so ; and indeed it was proved 

 to be a leopard when daylight came. A lion, too, 

 would certainly have killed all three men if he had 

 seized them in such a manner by the head, and, in 

 the first instance, he would no doubt have taken 

 his prey clean away into the bush. More dan- 

 gerous than the lion in cunning and daring fierce- 

 ness, the leopard luckily has not the terrible punish- 

 ing powers and strength of the bigger cat. 



