NORTH-EASTERN RHODESIA 85 



I muttered. Bang ! and I chucked the gun away- 

 expecting still to see the eyes of that confounded 

 lion looking at me. But no — the beads had gone, 

 and I went to bed saying, ' Well, at last I've 

 done for the brute, but what shocking shooting ! " 

 Next mornin' — would you believe me ! — I found 

 eight lions and seven lionesses lying dead, all 

 bunched together behind the mound. The 

 brutes had evidently come up, one after the 

 other, to see what all the banging and killing 

 was about; so my eye wasn't dead out that 

 night, after all ! Just shows how a man can be 

 deceived ! " 



Perhaps Y.'s most curious adventures happened 

 in the Congo Free State. Some years ago he 

 was concluding a very successful ivory-hunting 

 and trading expedition, and was anxious to 

 reach some trading post in British territory, 

 where he could dispose of his spoils. Having 

 no wish to come in contact with Belgian officials, 

 he travelled through a dry, uninhabited region 

 where game was exceedingly scarce. Y. and 

 his " tenga tengas " (porters) had a very bad 

 time, and nearly died from thirst and starvation. 

 At last he reached a village one night and sum- 

 moned the old chief. Y. told him he was very 

 hungry and that he must have some meat, in 

 return for which he would give the chief a 

 " prizee " in the form of " n'salu " (cloth). 

 The chief retired, sent over something to Y.'s 

 cook-boy, and presently a boiling in the pot 

 announced to Y., now silently puffing at his 

 pipe, that he was to have something to eat. 

 Ravenously hungry, he devoured the repast, 

 and enjoyed it so much that he sent for more. 



