XVII 
CAMPING AT EL BOGOI 
39i 
hunting expedition in the “ subugo ” forests there—owing to 
the dryness of the season having caused a dearth on this side, 
while these conditions were favourable to the bees’ harvest in 
that moister climate. But their operations were suddenly cut 
short by a tragedy : one of their number had been carried off 
and devoured by a lion, which had sprung upon the unfortunate 
man while he was engaged in digging out a hive from a hole 
in the ground, in broad daylight—so at least the affair was 
described to me. In consequence of this, none of these people 
w r ould venture over the mountains again, although they declared 
that honey was in abundance there, while here, on their own 
side of the range, it was now so scarce. 
Another disaster of the same kind occurred shortly after 
to a member of Lorgete’s family. They had only just returned 
from the Gwaso Nyiro River, where they had been hunting 
and trapping for some time ; and, not having yet heard what 
had happened, two or three of them went over the “ subugo ” to 
reconnoitre, with a view of camping on the far side of the range 
for a time. It is the habit of these natives, when starting out 
in the early morning, to carry two or three burning brands, 
drawn from the fire, in one hand ; and when the air is chilly— 
as it always is in the “ subugo ” until the sun gets high—the 
bearer puts his fire-sticks on the ground now and then, and, 
blowing them up, sits cowering over the blaze, his skin cape 
drawn round his shoulders, to imbibe the warmth. In this 
position one of the party was pounced upon by the man-eater, 
as witnessed by his terrified companion from a little distance, 
and became its easy prey, just as in the case already 
mentioned. 
It seemed a remarkable corroboration of Lesiat’s dread of 
the lions of that part, against which he had formerly warned 
me when narrating his own adventures with one there in his 
youth. Events which transpired later seemed to show, though, 
that these animals were unusually daring and dangerous this year; 
and I believe the explanation to be that, owing to the drought, 
