180 TWO DIANAS IN SOMALILAND 



ment minus the seccotine. We covered the wounds 



with iodoform — very amateurishly of course — and then 



bandaged it. Altogether I think the invalid was rather 



pleased with himself, as he lay up in the cache-tent, 



feeling, doubtless, the importance of having been in 



the jaws of a lion and come out alive from such a gin. 



As we could not move him for several days, we 



arranged to form quite a good zareba, strong and 



comfortable, round our follower, and make flying 



excursions of which it should be the base. The 



wounded hunter proved a very unwilling dawdler, 



being an active-souled creature, and did not take at all 



kindly to a life of enforced idleness. He acted like an 



irritated vegetable, and only slept and drowsed the 



hours away, and kept his leg up, because I solemnly 



told him he would die if he did not. I think the 



active spirits in nations not yet civilised are always the 



better. Laziness is demoralising anywhere, and with 



it one soon harks back to the animal. Energetic 



souls are never idle from choice. The power to idle 



successfully and with comfort must be inborn. During 



his days of illness our charge grew really attached to 



us, and looked for our coming with an expansive 



smile of welcome. We kept the fever down with 



quinine, and before many weeks were over his scars 



were healed into cicatrices, which, of course, he could 



never lose. They would, however, be a glorious asset 



and advertisement, showing such undoubted zeal, and 



should commend the proprietor to any one on the 



look-out for a truly sporting hunter. 



While I was examining the skull and wet skin of 



