TWO DIANAS IN SOMALILAND 73 



both our schemes worked admirably, and bar a little 

 rheumatism in my left shoulder I carried on all right. 

 At last — "a. fine day; let us go out and kill some- 

 thing" came and, the conditions being splendid for 

 spooring, we went off bent on an execution — of any- 

 thing. 



Running in and out among some rocks were the 

 quaintest little rabbits, without tails, Manx rabbits, odd 

 stumpy greyish bodies, and an engaging air of in- 

 difference to passers-by. 



A great yellow-beaked hornbill sat on a tree and 

 made his own peculiar croaking noise. Most wise he 

 looked as he put his grey head to one side and in- 

 vestigated us. Yet his looks bewrayed him ; for when 

 I threw some dates at him to see if he knew how to 

 catch them in his beak, he let them pass him all un- 

 heeded. His cousin at the Zoo could teach many 

 things. 



After a long ride we left our ponies to be led along 

 behind by a syce, and spoored on foot. Clarence and 

 the two hunters were still riding. We nearly went off 

 our heads with joy and excitement when we suddenly 

 came on a neat little path made by lion. The print 

 was perfect. The most perfect I have ever seen. The 

 soft earth had taken the mould like dough. There 

 were the fore indents, there the cushions of the pad. 

 We knelt down in our eagerness to realise how really 

 soaked everything was. The ground was sodden, and 

 every step oozed water. 



We ran on, Clarence and the hunters keeping pace 

 easily with us. There were scrubby bushes all about, 



