Sporting Trips of a Subaltern 



when he came down in a heap. He was a most 

 glorious buck, and the Bariba shared rny huge 

 delight at such a prize, though I wished he 

 wouldn't eat portions of his still quivering entrails 

 raw, while he helped me flay him. I sent my Pagan 

 friend back eventually to fetch the other men to 

 get what meat they wanted, and as heavy rain 

 came on, I returned to camp with them, and spent 

 the rest of the day skinning the head. 



The following day I sent my "army" back 

 to headquarters by the shortest way, and made 

 a long detour with my Bariba, crossing a fresh 

 Hon spoor which he refused to follow, and killing 

 a good oribi. We always found it most difficult 

 to induce these natives to follow a lion ; they 

 have a wholesome dread of the "king of beasts," 

 and whether it is that they are unaccustomed to 

 the power of the rifle, or that they fear the con- 

 sequences to themselves should the white man 

 be mauled, I cannot say. Anyhow, they always 

 tried to dissuade one from spooring them, and 

 would purposely lose the tracks. Spooring one- 

 self and keeping a look-out for the lion in a heavy 

 bush meanwhile was practically impossible. 



The day after my return from this short shoot, 

 the main body of the Borgu expedition started 

 on its return journey to the river, while Welch 

 and I occupied the fort at Kiama. Welch was 

 greatly elated a few days after at hearing that a 



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