CHAP. II.] MY INEXPERIENCE. 45 



about the plain, which are as like those of mules as 

 can be, and in the night quite undistinguishable from 

 them. As for the six mules that had arrived, they 

 were, by Stewartson's advice, sent down into the river 

 to eat and rest themselves all night. He assured me 

 there would be little danger, that we had seen no 

 tracks of wild animals to injure them, and, what was 

 very true, they must have food. I think it was the 

 most foolish thing that I was guilty of during the 

 whole journey, to leave the poor animals to shift for 

 themselves, two miles from us, and mthout the 

 slightest protection ; but I was new to the country, 

 and thought it a far better j plan to j)ut myself under 

 the entii-e guidance of my worthy friend, until I had 

 gained some experience, than to make a mess of the 

 whole thing by trying to manage for myself. I ought 

 to have gone with two or tlrree men to the river, and 

 watched the mules whilst they fed for a couple of 

 hours ; then tied them up, and given them a good rest 

 the next day. As it was, I slept in happy ignorance of 

 the fate that awaited them. 



In the morning I sent a man down to drive them 

 up : he was a long time absent, and at last returned 

 with piteous news. He had found no mules, but, 

 instead of them, the tracks of several lions ; and going 

 on, he came to where he saw the tracks of all the mules 

 going full gallop, and by the side of them those of the 

 lions. A little further on he heard something in the 

 biishes, and found my poor chestnut pack-mule half 

 eaten, and a hyena devouring the remains of the carcase. 

 At a short distance lay my largest horse, and a lion by 



