TWO DIANAS IN SOMALILAND 63 



heavy body sank. I felt a greater weight ; the blood 

 poured from his mouth on to the sand, the jaws yet 

 working convulsively. The whole world seemed to me 

 to be bounded north, south, east, and west by Lion. 

 The carcase rolled a little and then was still. Pinned 

 by the massive haunches I lay in the sand. 



Clarence, Cecily, and all the hunters stood around. 

 I noticed how pale she was. Even the tan of her 

 sunburnt face could not conceal the ravages of the 

 last five minutes. The men pulled the heavy car- 

 case away, taking him by the fore-paws, his tail trailing, 

 and exquisite head all so hideously damaged. Only 

 his skin would be available now, still 



I sat up in a minute, feeling indescribably shaky, and 

 measured the lion with my eye. He could be gloriously 

 mounted, and " He will just do for that space in the 

 billiard room," my voice tailed off. I don't remember 

 anything else until I found myself in my tent with my 

 cousin rendering first aid, washing the wounds and 

 dressing them with iodoform. Only one gash was of 

 any moment. It was in the fleshy part of the thigh. 

 We had not sufficient medical skill to play any pranks, 

 so kept to such simple rules as extreme cleanliness, 

 antiseptic treatment, and nourishing food. Indeed, our 

 cook did well for me those days, and made me at 

 intervals the most excellent mutton broth, which he 

 insisted on bringing to me himself, in spite of the 

 obvious annoyance of the butler, who had lived in the 

 service of an English family and so knew what was 

 what. 



The days and nights were very long just then. 



