286 TWO DIANAS IN SOMALILAND 
the sheep was no longer there. After that, what a 
weary night. We did not care to risk getting out, and 
there was no good to be done in staying in. The dawn 
broke at last, falsely at first, and dark gray shadows 
fell again to flee away before the all-conquering sun, 
who rose in splendour, gilding the lofty ranges with 
tips of gold and red. 
We pushed our way out, not waiting for the men to 
come and let us free, and the whole show, unable to 
hold up any longer, fell over with us. It was very 
badly put together, and would have been a pantomime 
protection in case of stress. We were dishevelled 
looking before, and worn out for want of sleep, but we 
were objects by the time we had fought our way from 
out the collapsed machdn. We followed the pugs 
of the leopard till they disappeared in impenetrable 
bush. He had taken his victim to a safe stronghold. 
But we weren’t to be worsted so easily. When Clarence 
appeared we asked him the best plan for dislodging the 
cat, who must be gorged now, and a little overdone. 
Our shikari said he would order some of the men out 
and try to beat the place. I asked him to take the 
•35 Winchester himself, and use it if he could. Then 
began a lively morning. The men beat the place with 
their spears in sort of flying rushes, dashing forward, 
then dashing back, and at last, as we really made the 
radius of the place smaller, we heard a continuous 
snarling, like that a domestic cat makes when it has 
a mouse in its paws, only this was much more vicious 
and sounding louder. 
I stood close to the jungle, and Clarence begged me 
