The Camel Was Now Brought To The Spot And Blindfolded,
While We Endeavoured To Secure The Lion Upon Its Back.
As the
camel knelt, it required the united exertions of eight men,
including myself, to raise the ponderous animal, and to secure it
across the saddle.
Although so active and cat-like in its movements, a full-grown
lion weighs about five hundred and fifty pounds. Having secured
it, we shortly arrived in camp; the coup d'oeil was beautiful, as
the camel entered the inclosure with the shaggy head and massive
paws of the dead lion hanging upon one flank, while the tail
nearly descended to the ground upon the opposite side. It was
laid at full length before my wife, to whom the claws were
dedicated as a trophy to be worn around the neck as a talisman.
Not only are the claws prized by the Arabs, but the moustache of
the lion is carefully preserved and sewn in a leather envelope,
to be worn as an amulet; such a charm is supposed to protect the
wearer from the attacks of wild animals.
In all probability, this was the lion that was in the habit of
visiting our camp, as from that date, although the roars of such
animals were our nightly music, we were never afterwards visited
so closely.
As game was plentiful, the lions were exceedingly fat, and we
preserved a large quantity of this for our lamps. When it was
boiled down it was well adapted for burning, as it remained
nearly liquid.
We had a large supply of various kinds of fat, including that of
elephants, hippopotami, lions, and rhinoceros; but our stock of
soap was exhausted, therefore I determined to convert a quantity
of our grease into that very necessary article.
Soap-boiling is not so easy as may be imagined; it requires not
only much attention, but the quality is dependent upon the proper
mixture of the alkalis. Sixty parts of potash and forty of lime
are, I believe, the proportions for common soap. I had neither
lime nor potash, but I shortly procured both. The hegleek tree
(Balanites Egyptiaca) was extremely rich in potash; therefore I
burned a large quantity, and made a strong ley with the ashes;
this I concentrated by boiling. There was no limestone; but the
river produced a plentiful supply of large oyster-shells, that,
if burned, would yield excellent lime. Accordingly I constructed
a kiln, with the assistance of the white ants. The country was
infested with these creatures, which had erected their dwellings
in all directions; these were cones from six to ten feet high,
formed of clay so thoroughly cemented by a glutinous preparation
of the insects, that it was harder than sun-baked brick. I
selected an egg-shaped hill, and cut off the top, exactly as we
take off the slice from an egg. My Tokrooris then worked hard,
and with a hoe and their lances, they hollowed it out to the
base, in spite of the attacks of the ants, which punished the
legs of the intruders considerably.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 215 of 290
Words from 112241 to 112756
of 151461
