Shortly I Saw Scores Of Lights
Twinkling Through The Bushes:
Every man in camp
turned out, and with tom-toms beating and horns
blowing came running to the scene.
They
surrounded my eyrie, and to my amazement
prostrated themselves on the ground before me,
saluting me with cries of "Mabarak! Mabarak!"
which I believe means "blessed one" or "saviour."
All the same, I refused to allow any search to be
made that night for the body of the lion, in case
his companion might be close by; besides, it was
possible that he might be still alive, and capable
of making a last spring. Accordingly we all
returned in triumph to the camp, where great
rejoicings were kept up for the remainder of
the night, the Swahili and other African natives
celebrating the occasion by an especially wild
and savage dance.
For my part, I anxiously awaited the dawn;
and even before it was thoroughly light I was
on my way to the eventful spot, as I could not
completely persuade myself that even yet the
"devil" might not have eluded me in some
uncanny and mysterious way. Happily my fears
proved groundless, and I was relieved to find
that my luck - after playing me so many
exasperating tricks - had really turned at last.
I had scarcely traced the blood for more than
a few paces when, on rounding a bush, I was
startled to see a huge lion right in front of me,
seemingly alive and crouching for a spring.
On looking closer, however, I satisfied myself
that he was really and truly stone-dead,
whereupon my followers crowded round, laughed and
danced and shouted with joy like children, and
bore me in triumph shoulder-high round the
dead body.
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