1 68 TWO DIANAS IN SOMALILAND 
Finally, the whole thing resolved itself into this. Our 
butler refused to “ buttle ” any more. He gave notice, 
and desired to leave our service. When I understood, 
I could not help laughing. I said of course I accepted 
the notice, but how he proposed it to take effect was 
beyond my understanding, as we were miles from 
Berbera, at the very back of beyond, and there could 
be no means of leaving the caravan with any degree 
of safety or sense. If the butler remained, as remain 
he obviously must, I insisted on his buttling as usual, 
but better. He withdrew at last, angry looking and 
discontented, and we went to bed. 
I remember what a lively night it was. A lion 
roared for two hours or more at intervals of ten 
minutes, very close to camp-such fine majestic 
rolling roars, ending each time in three rumbling 
“ grumphs.” I hoped the watch watched, and looking 
forward to meeting my serenader next day, I turned 
over and tried to sleep. What a glorious country to 
be in ! I might anticipate presenting myself on the 
morrow to a king, and no mere ordinary mortal, with- 
out the “ open sesame ” of “let me introduce ” being 
necessary. What a glorious country ! Convention 
spelt with a little c, and originality — that most ex- 
cellent of things- — everywhere rife. No running of 
jungle affairs on the deadly tram-lines of tradition, and 
everything new looked on askance. Mrs. Grundy does 
not live in the wild ; an 9 she did conventionality would 
be taught to the jungle people, and she would rob 
them of all their naturalness. Doesn’t she regard 
originality very much in the light of a magazine of 
