TWO DIANAS IN SOMALILAND 47 



species is ornamented with a long tail, the female being 

 much plainer. In the brute creation it is always so ; 

 the male tries to captivate by ornaments and brilliant 

 colours. We human beings have grown out of that 

 and try other blandishments. But it is curious that the 

 male has still to ask and the female to accept. We 

 haven't changed that. We fight just as bucks and 

 tigers do, and the winner isn't always chosen ; there 

 may be reasons against it. There is just that little un- 

 certainty, that little hardness to please which gives such 

 joy to the pursuit. Well, there are exceptions, for the 

 ladies of the bustard persuasion fight for their lords. 



On my way back to camp I saw a buck and Mrs. 

 Buck of the Speke genus. The former stood broadside 

 on, and almost stared me out of countenance at fifty 

 paces. He evidently knew I was unarmed. Why do 

 they always stand broadside on ? I've never seen i^ 

 explained. I suppose it is partly because he is in a 

 better position for flight. 



At this camp we were caught in a continuous 

 downpour which lasted twenty-four hours, inter- 

 mixed with furious thunderstorms. Cecily's tent 

 (fortunately she was in mine at the time) was struck, 

 producing some curious results. The lightning split 

 the bamboo tent-pole into shreds and threw splinters 

 about that, when collected, made quite a big bundle. 

 The hats and clothes which were hanging on to the 

 pole were found flung in all directions, but nothing 

 was burnt. The lightning disappeared into the loose 

 soil, without appreciably disturbing it. 



Then we had a glorious day sandwiched in, but 



