This Request I Sleepily Granted, Thinking
That It Could Make Little Difference Whether He
Came With Us Or Stayed Behind In Camp.
As
things turned out, however, it made all the
difference in the world, for if he had not accompanied
us, my shikar would in all probability have ended
disastrously next day.
He was a very dusky-coloured
young Pathan about twenty years of
age, lithe and active, and honest and pleasant-looking,
as Pathans go. He had been my "boy"
for some time and was much attached to me,
besides having a touching faith in my prowess in
shikar: probably, indeed, this was the reason
why he stuck so close to me throughout the
hunt.
We breakfasted by candle light and managed
to get several miles on our way towards the
source of the Athi before dawn. As soon as
it was thoroughly daylight, we extended in line,
Dr. Brock, as the guest, being placed in the most
likely position for a shot, while Roshan Khan
followed close behind me with the day's
provisions. In this order we trudged steadily
forward for a couple of miles without coming across
anything, though we advanced through many
patches of rushes and long grass likely to conceal
our expected quarry. It was most interesting
and exciting work all the same, as we never
knew but that a lion might the next moment
jump up at our very feet. We had just beaten
through a most hopeful-looking covert without
success and had come out on to a beautiful open
grassy glade which stretched away for some
distance ahead of us, when I noticed a big herd of
wildebeeste browsing quietly some distance to
our right. I knew that Brock also wanted a
wildebeeste, so I whistled softly to him, and
pointed out the weird-looking, bison-like antelopes.
He came across at once and started off towards
the herd, while I sat down to watch the
proceedings. He made a beautiful stalk, which was
rendered really very difficult by the open nature
of the country, but still the wildebeeste quickly
noticed his approach and kept steadily moving
on, until at last they disappeared over one of
the gentle rises which are such a feature of the
Athi Plains.
I still sat and waited, expecting every moment
to hear the sound of Brock's rifle. Some time
elapsed without a shot, however, and I was just
about to follow him up and find out how things
were going, when Roshan Khan suddenly
exclaimed excitedly: - " Dekko, Sahib, shenzi ata
hain!" ("Look, Sahib, the savages are
coming!"). I was not in the least alarmed at
this somewhat startling announcement, as the
Indians called all the natives of the interior of
Africa shenzi, or savages; and on looking round
I saw five tall, slim Masai approaching in Indian
file, each carrying a six-foot spear in his right
hand. On coming nearer, the leader of the party
eagerly asked in Swahili, "What does the Bwana
Makubwa ("Great Master") desire?"
"Simba" ("Lions"), said I.
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