TWO DIANAS IN SOMALILAND 57 



and the effect as the good wine did its work astonished 

 them still more. 



We presented the headman with a tobe, and then 

 took ourselves back to camp, accompanied by a rabble 

 of Somalis who infested our zareba until we struck 

 tents that evening. I had as much of a bath as it was 

 possible to get in a tea-cupful of water. But a visit 

 to a Somali encampment makes you feel a trifle dirty. 



Our water supply was on the verge of becoming a 

 worry, so we had to make a detour towards a place 

 where rain was reported to have fallen and the pools 

 could be counted on. Clarence knew all this part of 

 the country well, and was a most reliable guide as w T ell 

 as everything else. His duties were multitudinous, and 

 it was marvellous how deftly he discharged them. He 

 always saw to the lading and unloading, chose the 

 spot for camp, placed the watch o' nights, gave out the 

 stores, and kept his temper through it all. He was a 

 born leader of men, amiable, quick and never sulked ; 

 an admirable thing. Sulkiness is rather a big trait in 

 the Somali character ; it usually springs from wounded 

 vanity. 



At the water holes we fell in with some more Somalis, 

 who gave the Baron Munchausen news of lions in the 

 vicinity. By the time our henchman had elaborated 

 the story the lions were practically in our zareba, and 

 we were much discouraged, feeling that, in all human 

 probability, judging by previous results, we were as far 

 off lions as ever. 



That night, after a somewhat longer, more tiring trek 

 than usual, for the first time in my life I heard a lion 



