A GAME-COUNTRY. 223 



Although the abundance of game is a blessing to the people, 

 I attribute to it a fact which I could not previously explain ; 

 all cattle brought here, and riding animals, such as donkeys, 

 mules, &c, are ruined after a short stay. Swellings on different 

 parts of the body, loss of appetite, emaciation, and finally 

 death follow one another speedily, a combination of symptoms 

 which I attribute to the intrusion of intestinal worms. This 

 view is confirmed by the fact that all the game absolutely 

 swarms with worms ; this is always the case in countries where 

 salt is rare. Another pest, also connected with the game, is 

 the existence of numerous ticks, which much inconvenience a 

 traveller on the march. But more dreaded guests than these 

 are attracted hither by the abundance of game ; lions, leopards, 

 cheetahs (Cynailurus guttatus), smaller animals of the cat species 

 (Felis served and F. caligata), and hyaenas are such familiar sights 

 that one soon learns to take no notice of them. 



Only the leopards are dreaded, for they often attack men, 

 which the lions never do, although they lurk in the bush in 

 twos and threes. The Negroes tell me that they are under the 

 control of a chief named Lottor, a very simple, good-natured 

 man, who always keeps two tame lions in his house (a fact), 

 and as long as he receives occasional presents of corn and goats, 

 prevents the wild lions from doing any mischief. It is curious 

 to note that the lions here are really good-tempered (perhaps 

 because they find abundance of food), and they are also much 

 admired, as was shown by the following incident : — One day 

 we came upon a lion caught in a pitfall, whereupon Chief 

 Lottor was fetched, and he pushed into the pit branches of 

 trees to enable the lion to get out ; this it did, and after giving 

 us a roar of acknowledgment, walked off unharmed. 



Another chief is said to possess the power of keeping the 

 game away from the pitfalls. One of our men told me that 

 this chief was at one time detained under arrest at the station 

 for a few hours, the consequence being that no game came 

 near the station for about eight days, so that a present had to 

 be sent to the chief to appease him. Chief Chulong's wife also 

 is famous for her power over the numerous crocodiles which 

 make their home in Khor Gineti. 



Fishing is ardently pursued by the women, and is chiefly 



