II FIRST LION SEEN 31 



(though this river is now dry down to the bed rock) 

 plenty of water could then be obtained by digging. 

 This being a noted place for giraffes, Mandy and I 

 rode out to try for one, aiid soon came upon a solitary 

 old bull, but as the meat of these old males is so 

 rank as to be unfit for human food, we let him gallop 

 away in peace, and went on in search of cows, a fine 

 herd of which we soon came across. We at once gave 

 chase, but unluckily Mandy's horse, at the very outset, 

 trod in a hole, threw him heavily, and then galloped 

 away at full speed ; so, as we had agreed not to get 

 separated again upon any account, I let the giraffes 

 alone, and pursued my friend's runaway steed, which I 

 at last managed to catch ; by this time, of course, the 

 giraffes were far out of sight, so we returned to the 

 waggons and at once inspanned. Late in the after- 

 noon of the following day we reached the river Goqui, 

 where at that time there was a permanent water-hole, 

 just where the waggon track crossed the river, ^ 



It was here I first saw a lion out of a cage. As 

 soon as we outspanned, I had my horse saddled up, 

 and taking one of my men with me, went out to try 

 and shoot something for supper. We were return- 

 ing home by the river and were quite near to the 

 waggons, when my man suddenly said, " There's a 

 lion ; I saw him put up his head." I looked where 

 he pointed, but, seeing nothing, got off my horse and 

 advanced to the river bank, when up jumped two 

 lionesses that had been lying in the long grass, and 

 trotted away. I fired, and at the sound a male lion 

 stood up at the place where the lionesses had been 

 lying ; he appeared a magnificent old fellow, with a 

 fine dark-coloured mane. For some seconds he stood 



1 This hole is now dry, thou,S;h water can usually be obtained by 

 digging about lialf a mile farther u)) tlie river. 



