52 FROM THE NIGER TO THE NILE 



with so little trouble and without even going off the road. 

 There they were with heads close together, cheek by jowl, 

 making such a pretty picture, that, when Moussa begged me 

 to shoot and I, remembering that I had not the right sort of 

 bullet, refrained, it was with regret considerably lessened. 

 Besides, I did not want to make a mess of it and perhaps 

 lose them altogether. Presently a little farther on the 

 lions crossed the road behind, and appeared in the bush to 

 my right. It was a strange sight to see the numerous koh 

 deer, heedless of danger, feeding on the plain just a little way 

 off. Then with an au revoir to the hons, we continued our 

 march, and two miles brought us to Tapkin Dorina, where 

 we pitched our camp. 



Tapkin Dorina is a lake of about half a mile in length 

 and a quarter of a mile in width. It lies in an open plain to 

 the right of the road that has not very long come out of the 

 bush. Its shores are quite bare of vegetation and its waters 

 are thick with crocodiles. It is a favourite halting-place 

 for the thirsty caravans plying between Yelloa and Ibi, 

 hence the man-eating lions also found it a convenient spot 

 for refreshing themselves. 



I selected the shelter of a huge solitary tree not far from 

 the lake side for the camp. 



I had felt very sick and weary all the day, finding it diffi- 

 cult at times to keep on the move. Fever had taken hold of 

 me at my bad hour, three o'clock in the afternoon, and now 

 after sundown my symptoms grew worse and I vomited a 

 great deal. So I turned in early, but first of all sent two of 

 my men back with a letter to Jose, to warn him not to travel 

 at night through the part where the lions were. Also, as 



