Chimbwe

Last night was the night of the Chimbwe, the hyena. Coming into the bar Joe announced he had just startled four hyenas near to the lake. We rushed out with our torches and our dutch courage but saw nothing. Eva and Bernhardt stayed to wait for them to come back but the rest of us got bored (and thirsty) and went back to our beers. After about half an hour of nervous joking about what had happened to them they burst in saying that they had seen six hyena. They were massing. Again we all rushed out but saw nothing. Dispondant, Joe and I accompanied Sue to the office to escort her through the potential danger zone so she could send her emails. Whilst we were sharing a clandestine cigarette behind the office something ran past just out of the range of the light. Bravely, somewhat foolishly we ventured into the night. We reached the spot where Joe had seen the first Hyenas and a pair of huge green eyes loomed in our torch light. Nervously, somewhat cautiously we retreated to the office. But we could not stay there all night. We had to brave the Chimbwe run. Off we set, chattering and giggling with nerves. Just as we rounded the corner of the dam a huge splashing and thundering erupted on our left. As one we swung around, our torch beams illuminating a herd of panicked Roan fleeing the water. Instinctively we swung back 180 degrees. Above the brow of the hill appeared one, then two, then five, then eight pairs of eyes taking the measure of us. We froze, and the Hyenas ran down the hill turning broadside to our torch beams. They are big, and they are scary and there was more than them than there was of us. We hurried as fast as we dared whilst retaining our nonchalance to fool the chimbwe, and bought some stiff drinks at the bar.