rection in which they should have
shot, and yet their bullets came whizzing all round us. Altogether they
fired over a score of shots, and in the end succeeded only in blowing
away one of the bars of the door, thus allowing our prize to make good
his escape. How they failed to kill him several times over is, and
always will be, a complete mystery to me, as they could have put the
muzzles of their rifles absolutely touching his body. There was,
indeed, some blood scattered about the trap, but it was small
consolation to know that the brute, whose capture and death seemed so
certain, had only been slightly wounded.

Still we were not unduly dejected, and when morning came, a hunt was at
once arranged. Accordingly we spent the greater part of the day on our
hands and knees following the lions through the dense thickets of
thorny jungle, but though we heard their growls from time to time, we
never succeeded in actually coming up with them. Of the whole party,
only Farquhar managed to catch a momentary glimpse of one as it bounded
over a bush. Two days more were spent in the same manner, and with
equal unsuccess; and then Farquhar and his sepoys were obliged to
return to the coast. Mr. Whitehead also departed for his district, and
once again I was left alone with the man-eaters.

CHAPTER VIII

THE DEATH OF THE FIRST MAN-EATER

A day or two after the departure of my allies, as I was leaving my boma
soon after dawn on December 9, I saw a Swahili running excitedly
towards me, shouting out "Simba! Simba!" ("Lion! Lion!"), and every now
and again looking behind him as he ran. On questioning him I found that
the lions had tried to snatch a man from the camp by the river, but
being foiled in this had seized and killed one of the donkeys, and were
at that moment busy devouring it not far off. Now was my chance.

I rushed for the heavy rifle which Farquhar had kindly left with me for
use in case an opportunity such as this should arise, and, led by the
Swahili, I started most carefully to stalk the lions, who, I devoutly
hoped, were confining their attention strictly to their meal. I was
getting on splendidly, and could just make out the outline of one of
them through the dense bush, when unfortunately my guide snapped a
rotten branch. The wily beast heard the noise, growled his defiance,
and disappeared in a moment into a patch of even thicker jungle close
by. In desperation at the thought of his escaping me once again,