TWO DIANAS IN SOMALILAND 
77 
hither and thither, dazing the mazed creature with 
their cries and hurry. In the end the monarch always 
abdicates, and some Somali, quicker than his fellows, 
finishes the business with a drive of his spear. It is 
not unlike the principle of bull-fighting, except that 
in the case of the Somalis self-preservation originates 
the necessity for the battle. 
In the lion-world I noticed that the rule of Place aux 
dames did not apply. The male invariably tried to 
take the shortest route to safety, and madam had to 
look after herself. 
Buck of every variety forms the staple food of lions. 
I have heard that they have been known to kill wart- 
hog, but never myself came on any proof of this. 
A large trading caravan passed us here en route to 
Berbera. They were taking a heterogeneous collection 
for sale at the coast town, ostrich feathers, ghee , gum- 
arabic, prayer-mats and skins of all varieties. They 
sold us some ghee , which we were glad to get, as our 
supply was running low. Their huts were standing 
when we came on the caravan, and on the march were 
carried on camels as our tents were. Like turtles, we 
carried our houses with us wherever we went. We 
wrote two or three letters, enclosing them in an outer 
envelope asking that they should be posted. Then 
we gave them to the head-man of the trading party 
with a request that he should hand them to the first 
sahib he saw in Berbera. The letters eventually turned 
up at their destinations, so some good Samaritan 
posted them. 
That same evening, as Cecily was riding alongside 
