IX 
THE LION 
321 
many fresh footprints of lions in the sandy soil, and 
a broad trace about 4 feet wide, where the body had 
been dragged away. This had apparently been 
effected by more than one lion, as the footprints 
varied in size. 
There was a vast mass of dense green nabbuk 
growing parallel with the banks of the river. This 
was an opaque screen of thorny foliage, covering 
an area of about 200 yards in width, but extending 
for a great distance. The nabbuk tree bears a 
small apple the size of a nutmeg, rather sweet, and 
pleasant to the taste; but the tangled mass, when 
growing upon the sandy loam near water, is ab¬ 
solutely impenetrable to a human being. Into this 
secure retreat the lions had crept, forming dark 
tunnels about or 4 feet high, for some unknown 
distance. 
The trace of the dragged buffalo led direct to the 
entrance of one of these obscure tunnels, and there 
could be no doubt that the carcase was within, and 
the lions not far distant. I have frequently looked 
back to absurdities that have been scathelessly com¬ 
mitted; among these on more than one occasion I 
have foolishly ventured upon the exploration of a 
lion’s retreat. With two of my Tokrooris following 
with spare rifles (all muzzle-loaders) I crept upon 
hands and knees into the dark tunnel, upon the 
trace of the dragged buffalo. A light double- 
barrelled *577 was my companion. 
After a few yards the tunnel became much 
narrowed, and was hardly more than 3 feet 6 inches 
VOL. I 
Y 
