Somali 



and the most fearful thunderstorm burst on us. 

 There was a great ant-hill, eight or ten feet high, 

 with a sort of cave at the base into which my 

 hunter and I beat a hasty retreat. I noticed a 

 strong smell which I thought I recognized, and 

 on Hassan exclaiming "Libbah" (lion), I re- 

 membered the lion house at the Zoo. His hairs 

 were all round, and I fear we had caused him 

 the inconvenience of going out into the storm 

 to make room for us. He can have only just 

 left. It was hopeless looking for him, as the 

 rain was washing out spoor as fast as it was 

 made. 



For five days and nights it rained almost 

 incessantly. We continued to pop out whenever 

 it cleared a bit and have some sport. One day 

 I got into a regular clump of game. I saw oryx, 

 aoul, and gerenuk, a herd of each in a small 

 glade. There was a very fine oryx bull, but in 

 trying to stalk him I put up the gerenuk. These 

 trotted off quickly and silently, as is their custom, 

 without disturbing my quarry. They, however, 

 approached and alarmed the aoul, who in turn 

 galloped into the oryx, and I got nothing. This, 

 however, was my only bit of bad luck about 

 this time. 



Our tent, a double-fly Indian one, had by now 

 given it up as a bad job, and let in streams of 

 water. Three nights running it came on in a 



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