352 
TO THE UASIN GISHU [ch. xii 
ended a scene of as fierce interest and excitement as 
I ever hope to see. 
The Nandi marched back by themselves, carrying the 
two wounded men on their shields. We rode to camp 
by a roundabout way, on the chance that we might see 
another lion. The afternoon waned, and we cast long 
shadows before us as we rode across the vast, lonely 
plain. The game stared at us as we passed ; a cold 
wind blew in our faces, and the tall grass waved cease¬ 
lessly ; the sun set behind a sullen cloud-bank; and 
then, just at nightfall, the tents glimmered white through 
the dusk. 
Tarlton’s partner, Newland—also an Australian, and 
as fine a fellow as Tarlton himself—once had a rather 
eerie adventure with a man-eating lion. He was camped 
near Kilimakiu, and after nightfall the alarm was raised 
that a lion was near by. He came out of his tent, more 
wood was thrown on the fire, and he heard footsteps 
retreating, but could not make out whether they were 
those of a lion or a hyena. Going back to his tent, he 
lay down on his bed with his face turned toward the 
tent wall Just as he was falling to sleep the canvas 
was pushed almost into his face by the head of some 
creature outside ; immediately afterward he heard the 
sound of a heavy animal galloping, and then the scream 
of one of his porters, whom the lion had seized and was 
dragging off into the darkness. Rushing out with his 
rifle, he fired toward the sounds, shooting high ; the lion 
let go his hold and made off, and the man ultimately 
recovered. 
It has been said that lions are monogamous and that 
they mate for life. If this were so they would almost 
always be found in pairs, a lion and a lioness. They 
are sometimes so found, but it is much more common 
