These, However, Were Only The Earlier Efforts
Of The Man-Eaters.
Later on, as will be seen,
nothing flurried or frightened them in the least,
and except as food they showed a complete
contempt for human beings.
Having once marked
down a victim, they would allow nothing to deter
them from securing him, whether he were protected
by a thick fence, or inside a closed tent, or sitting
round a brightly burning fire. Shots, shouting
and firebrands they alike held in derision.
CHAPTER III
THE ATTACK ON THE GOODS-WAGON
All this time my own tent was pitched in
an open clearing, unprotected by a fence of any
kind round it. One night when the medical
officer; Dr. Rose, was staying with me, we were
awakened about midnight by hearing something
tumbling about among the tent ropes, but on going
out with a lantern we could discover nothing.
Daylight, however, plainly revealed the "pug"
marks of a lion, so that on that occasion I fancy
one or other of us had a narrow escape. Warned
by this experience, I at once arranged to move
my quarters, and went to join forces with Dr.
Brock, who had just arrived at Tsavo to take
medical charge of the district. We shared a
hut of palm leaves and boughs, which we had
constructed on the eastern side of the river, close
to the old caravan route leading to Uganda; and
we had it surrounded by a circular boma, or thorn
fence, about seventy yards in diameter, well made
and thick and high.
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