Stanley laughed at the notion.
“In the first place, dear sister, the lions will not show themselves till some unfortunate person passes,” he said. “Thus I might have to wait day after day without killing one. Now, our friend here declares that every night they go down to the water, so that I am sure to meet them. Let us manage it, and do not be afraid. We shall return in safety, and probably have been of service to these poor people, by getting rid of their savage enemies.”
“Oh! let us accompany you,” cried Leo and Natty. “We will take care of Stanley,” said Leo; “so do not be afraid, Kate.”
“Thank you; but the man-eaters might carry one of you off,” answered Stanley; “so I must decline your company. I would rather have my two black-skinned friends as companions, for depend upon it they know more about the matter than any one else.”
“Massa,” said Timbo, “I ever go out shooting wid you. I no take care of you?”
“Yes, indeed you have,” answered Stanley; “but I want you now to stay at home and look after the camp. If there is any risk, it is better that one should run it than both.”
This answer satisfied Timbo, and Stanley having partaken of the supper which Kate and Bella insisted on preparing for him, set off with Igubo and the stranger. They carried the two best rifles, with a supply of powder and bullets. I found that Jack and Timbo had been busily employed in manufacturing a sort of infernal machine for the destruction of wild beasts. They had selected a musket with a large bore, and they proposed using this as a sort of spring-gun. Jack told me that while we had been away, a huge hyena had been seen in the neighbourhood, and as they are cunning animals and not easily overtaken, they thought it would be the best way of getting rid of so dangerous a neighbour. There was still sufficient light by the time they had finished preparing the gun to plant it in the neighbourhood. The boys and I accompanied them out. Timbo selected two trees, to which they lashed the gun in an almost horizontal position, the muzzle only pointing slightly upwards. A piece of wood about six inches long was fastened to the gun stock so as to move easily backwards and forwards. A piece of string connected the lower part of this with the trigger. To the upper end a long piece of cord was fastened, which was carried through one of the empty ram-rod tubes, and then tied to a lump of flesh, fastened round the muzzle of the gun. As can thus easily be understood, an animal seizing the flesh pulls the lever which draws the trigger, and at the same moment that it has the meat in its mouth, the probabilities are that its brains will be blown out. However, that it should not take the meat sideways, or come behind it and thus escape, Timbo formed a fence round the spot, leaving only a narrow opening just in front of the muzzle of the gun.
“Now,” said Timbo, “here are five bits of meat to tempt de hyena to come up to de trap. You go dere, you go dere, you go dere;” and we all, as he pointed out, went in different directions round the spot to some distance, and then dragged the tainted meat up towards the trap. “Now, we go home; and to-morrow morning we find hyena dead,” he said.
It was indeed time, as darkness was coming on, and it was just possible that the hyena might prefer one of us to the bait which we had so kindly left for him. Scarcely, however, had we reached home, when a loud report was heard.
“If dat hyena, I bery glad we did come away,” said Timbo; “but we not go now. Perhaps other hyenas dere. We kill anoder to-morrow night.”