60 FROM THE NIGER TO THE NILE 



for bearing poles. On these the lion was slung and six men 

 carried him into camp. We were met outside by the rest of 

 the " bovs " and with them came a big Hausa trader, who, 



hearing that a white man was hunting the Hons, had ventured 

 to take the road with his caravan. He was overjoyed at the 

 sight of the dead lion and thanked me with a great show of 

 enthusiasm, telling me that its death would open a road that 

 had been closed to trade for years. Afterwards he showed 

 me the burial-place of the fragments that remained of two 

 men, who had fallen victims to the lion. Strangely enough, 

 without knowing it, we had pitched our camp almost on the 

 site. The trader's camp was just on the other side of the big 



