They hastily raked the hot embers together, and throwing straw on it, soon blew it into a bright blaze which threw a light over the late scene of terror, and showed the lion’s form stretched on its right side, with its left fore-paw, vainly beating the air, and the opened jaws, the gleaming white teeth, and protruding tongue, and the head almost split asunder, where two bullets had entered home to the brain, and robbed him of the cruel life which only endured to rend and devour prey.
“Ah ha, lion! thou greedy beast,” cried Niani, hopping about as light as a young springbok. “Thou didst think to eat Niani, thou cruel one. Father Simba, rightly called ‘lion,’ and Master Selim, and friend Moto have given thee as good as thou didst intend to have given me. He will roar no more, will he, chief?” he suddenly asked Kalulu.
“No, little one,” responded that more decorous and dignified youth; “he will haunt the forest no more, nor startle the antelopes with his roar during the gloom of night. Thou mayst sleep in peace now, Niani.”
“Ay,” added Selim, “and dream of the sweet and sugared hulwa (sweetmeats) and dates of Muscat, and of the pretty jackets with silver lace on them, he is going to get from me at Zanzibar.”
“Yes, and the red fez with the gold tassel which his friend Abdullah will give him,” said that Arab youth.
“And he must not forget the little wife and lots of Nianis he is going to get by-and-by,” added Simba, as he walked forward closer to the dead Simba, after whom he was named.
“He will do there until morning,” said Moto. “Let us continue our sleep, or do ye all go to sleep while I watch, because this carrion may bring others in search of him,” which good advice was soon adopted, and after some little time had passed all, except Moto, had resumed their slumber.
As the horizon was greying in the east Moto awoke his companions, who set at once to work to make a fire to warm themselves after the chilly night-dew. Kalulu cut off the claws of the lion, which he gave to Simba, Moto, and Selim, while the fourth paw’s claws he offered to Abdullah, and when refused by him he reserved for himself.
Simba also stripped the splendid furry mane from the lion’s neck and cut it into six equal strips, which he divided amongst his companions, and then suggested that the journey be continued, and that each should keep a bright look-out for game.
Within an hour Simba saw a kudu, and leaving his companions alone, he proceeded after it, and in a few moments the crack of his gun was heard, and his friends, with infinite satisfaction, said that his shot was effective, and, running up to him, were just in time to hear him utter his “Bismillah” (in the name of God), and to see him draw his knife to sever the throat of the fine animal.