XXVI 
MY TWO WILD DOGS 
237 
me in an unmistakable invitation to join his 
play. 
On one occasion, he fell ill, and as I was setting 
out from camp on a hunt, I decided to leave him 
behind in charge of some of my men, hoping that 
with rest and plenty of good food he would recu¬ 
perate. On my return, about a month afterwards, 
Jumbo was delighted to see me, and having 
thoroughly recovered from his indisposition, came 
running up to me in a state of wild excitement, 
licking my hands and scampering round me and 
through my legs for sheer joy, but I had not been 
long in camp before I learned that he had 
developed a very nasty temper towards my natives. 
Apart from the fact that he had bitten two of them, 
and there was a chance of blood-poisoning ensu¬ 
ing, my head man informed me that my natives 
threatened to leave me if I kept the dog. Now, on 
setting out from camp, I had left fowls for Jumbo’s 
food, and told my natives to snare quails, pigeons 
and guinea-fowls to supplement this diet, but I felt 
certain that Jumbo had seen little of these luxuries 
intended to restore him to health, and had been ill- 
treated into the bargain. So I forgave him his sins, 
and having cajoled my men into a better frame of 
mind, things ran smoothly once more. But alas 1 
Jumbo’s very faithfulness to me brought about his 
end, for, one day, a native, when approaching me, 
