TIGER SLAYER BY ORDER 



jungle, to be broken only by the melancholy cry of the 

 jackal, the weird howl of the hyena, or, maybe, the grand 

 roar of a lion on the prowl, borne along the still night air — 

 a situation like this is difficult to describe, but to the true 

 sportsman the fascination of it will doubtless be apparent. 



In addition to my camel men, amongst whom were some 

 good shikaris, I engaged two elephant hunters — Khaliffa 

 and Nur — the former of whom was destined to give con- 

 siderable trouble later on. These, together with a cook 

 and butler, completed my staff. 



As I was anxious to penetrate as far as possible into the 

 interior in search of elephants, I decided, in consultation 

 with my headman, to visit the Gadabursi and Esai country, 

 where elephants were reported to be very numerous. I also 

 intended, if time permitted, to make a trip to Abyssinia 

 whence reports of the abundance and variety of game had 

 excited my imagination. 



On mentioning my project to Captain A , he did 



his best to dissuade me from entering that part of the 

 country as the unfriendliness of the natives was causing 

 much anxiety at the time, and suggested instead a mild 

 little tour round Berbera. 



But as my outlay on the expedition was already con- 

 siderable, I determined, notwithstanding A 's friendly 



advice, to stick to my original plan, explaining to that 

 exasperated official that if I should happen to be attacked 

 by the natives I could but run away. 



Nevertheless, I quite realized that a certain amount of 

 risk must be incurred from the possible hostility of the Esa 

 and other savage tribes, but hoped that a long experience 

 of natives, the strong and reliable following under Abdi, 

 who had proved his eminent fitness as a caravan leader 

 in similar expeditions, would reduce the dangers to a 

 minimum. 



The last few hours at Berbera were, I remember, spent 

 in losing and finding my camel men, and I am afraid we 



gave Captain A a very worrying time. However, 



everything being fixed up at last, we started off one morning 

 at daybreak, for the first long march of sixteen miles across 

 the waterless Maritime plain. 



On our way we occasionally met with small parties of 

 166 



