326 
IVILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS 
CHAP. 
hunting parties invariably killed all natives of the 
crafty Base tribe whenever met, and they incurred 
a similar retaliation. The fence was made of entire 
trees cut off near the roots, and then dragged by the 
stems into line, with their wide-spreading heads of 
sharp hooked thorns forming the outside surface ; 
these were locked together by their hooks, entangled, 
and nothing could possibly have broken through, 
except an elephant or rhinoceros. 
Prowling around this excellent protection was a 
lion, who was pronounced by my hunters to be the 
mate of the lioness which I had killed; it was 
declared that the disconsolate husband had followed 
the course of his wife’s body, denoted by the drops 
of blood that had dripped upon the ground when 
carried by the camel towards the camp. My people 
were of opinion that the lion was determined upon 
vengeance, and that he would assuredly bound over 
our fence, although he could not absolutely break 
through it. 
The night was always interesting upon the banks 
of the Settite river, as vast numbers of wild animals 
were astir half an hour after sunset, which either 
came down to drink, or to wander in search of green 
pasturage, that was only to be found in places from 
which the water had retreated. The lions were 
accordingly on the alert, and the threatening sound 
of their deep voices was to be heard in every direc¬ 
tion, until approaching daylight drove them to their 
thickets. 
There is nothing so beautiful, or enjoyable to my 
