The Lions of Lake Edward 



in part due to the fact that since the Fosters' visit, the game 

 — and consequently the hons — had shifted to other feeding 

 grounds farther down the Ruindi, so we ourselves decided 

 to move on. 



When I say the game had shifted to other pastures I do 

 not mean to imply that there was little game to be seen. As 

 a matter of fact we beheld antelope and other beasts still 

 dotting the plains in all directions as we marched across 

 them. First it would be a small herd of wart-hog that 

 trotted beside us, tails erect and heads up in that smart way 

 they have ; then we would pass through a herd of silly curious 

 topi {Damaliscus), reminding me of the tsesebe of Lake 

 Bangweulu, and anon, kob antelopes would have to be 

 shoo-ed out of our way — in fact these last animals were so 

 tame that when we came on one or two of them lying down 

 they would only get up at the very last moment. Water- 

 buck too, were numerous, being finer animals with larger 

 horns than any I have seen in Africa. Reedbuck and bush- 

 buck were fairly common ; and amongst the game-birds, 

 two species of the lesser bustard, which make such a tasty 

 addition to the hunter's menu. These birds were in greater 

 numbers than I have previously seen anywhere. Guinea- 

 fowls also were plentiful. It is round Lake Edward too 

 (more frequently at the north end than on the plains to the 

 south) that the hunter, if he has good luck and rises at dawn, 

 may catch the giant forest hog {Hylochcerus meinertzhageni) 

 out on the plain in search of roots, before this rare animal 

 is aware that it is high time he was off again to his forest 

 fastness. 



From our camp on the Ruindi, we took a north-westerly 

 direction to the foot of the western wall of the Rift Valley 



III 



