176 
SOMALILAND 
thick bush until 5.30, when we came out on an open plain 
covered with long thick grass and ant-hills. Here we saw 
the first spoor of a lion. It had evidently sprung upon an 
oryx, the latter escaping, as we could plainly see the tracks 
of each, going away in opposite directions. I measured the 
distance of his spring from where he took ofi* in the long 
grass, to where he landed in the open, and it was 20 feet ! 
On landing he had slid along in the mud about 3 feet, the 
ground having been very wet at the time. Immediately 
after, on looking up, I saw a herd of ‘ owl ’ about 150 yards 
off ; and as we wanted meat, I shot one. 
There were no signs of the well yet, although Stanford’s 
shikari said it would take us but three hours to reach Eyk. 
My headman, who was no kitten, and knew a thing or 
three, estimated the distance, however, at four and a half 
hours’ march ; and so it turned out, for we did not reach 
the well till after dark, passing on the way the ruins 
of a large town built of stone by the Gallas 505 years 
ago. The foundations and parts of the walls of the houses 
are still visible. When the Somalis became powerful they 
turned the Gallas out. Here they affirm that there is 
