A Borgu Leopard 



to their fate. Of course, they were more important 

 really, hut one felt shy of pleading that to the 

 authorities ! 



There was great rejoicing in the small village 

 by which I was camped over the death of the 

 leopard. They were full of stories of the damage 

 to stock and even human beings that these 

 animals had been causing. It appeared that 

 they lived in mortal terror of carnivora, and 

 rarely dared to molest them, only plucking up 

 courage to use a poisoned arrow when they 

 were in an absolutely safe place themselves, 

 and never banding together to hunt a dangerous 

 beast, as do many natives of other parts of 

 Africa. 



The high grass was now mostly down, and 

 the bush fires I had caused to be lighted all 

 over the country had still further opened it out, 

 so I promised myself some fine sport; but at 

 the beginning of February all thoughts of game 

 were driven out of my head by a messenger from 

 the Niger, bearing the much longed-for news that 

 I had been appointed a D.A.A.G. in South Africa, 

 and was to report at Cape Town as soon as 

 possible. I found I could get back more quickly 

 by riding for the coast than by retracing my 

 steps to the Niger, so, only waiting for an officer 

 to come in and take over my men, I headed 

 through the bush for Lagos. 



239 



