258 TWO DIANAS IN SOMALILAND 
two cubs. She was off almost before I realised the 
marvel of the thing. Clarence dashed up* his quick 
eye had taken in the scene. He handed me my rifle. 
I frowned at him. Surely he had learned by this time 
that even a woman can be sporting. For it was not 
only discretion that made me play the better part, nor 
the thought of the panic a fracas with a lioness would 
cause in the caravan. I would have loved to take a 
cub home. But — there was a big but. Nobody short 
of a sportsman who 6 4 browns 55 a herd of buck indis- 
criminately — oh yes, there are such men here and 
there ! — would destroy such a family. They departed 
in peace, and not in pieces. I spoored a little way, 
and in clear sandy ground came on the tiny pugs, now 
quiescent, now running and claw marks showing. 
Next we came on rhino spoor, but in spite of what 
I had said Cecily halted the caravan, whilst she, in 
the very hottest part of the day, did a stalk. It all 
came to nothing, thanks be. I fell asleep on a herio , 
and awakened to find my tent over me. The men had 
erected it to screen me from the sun. They were 
servants in a thousand. 
From this thick jungle we emerged on to a great open 
plain, or “ bun,” and Clarence told me it was called 
the Dumberelli. He often told us the names of places 
we came to, and sometimes I wondered why they 
should be christened at all. The 4 4 bun ” was a waving 
sea of bright green grass, and full of game. Aoul in 
regiments sought the new grass, an oryx or two, and 
44 Sig ” (Swayne’s gazelle), looking like well-kept 
sea-side donkeys, stood about in ones and twos. But 
