Ill MAULED BY A LION 43 



marauder away. On seeing him the Hon at once 

 decamped ; old Piet fired a shot after it, but missed ; 

 the dogs at once rushed forward, and were soon 

 heard baying in a httle hill composed of large blocks 

 of stone, which was only a few hundred yards from 

 the waggon. Reloading quickly, the old man, 

 accompanied by a small Kafir boy, approached the 

 hill where the dogs were holding the lion at bay, 

 and soon saw the tawny monster lying flat and 

 motionless on the top of a great stone, its head 

 couched on its outstretched paws, whilst the dogs 

 were barking furiously below, and endeavouring to 

 jump on to the rock. As soon as the lion saw his 

 new adversary, it sprang from the stone, and, hotly 

 pursued by the dogs, charged straight tor him at 

 full speed. While still at some distance, Piet Jacobs 

 fired, and must have missed, for the furious brute, 

 with open mouth and glaring eyes, rushed upon him 

 and seizing him by the thigh, threw him to the 

 ground and bit him fearfully. He was also bitten 

 in the left arm and hand, whilst the left thigh, 

 though fortunately not broken, was, as he expressed 

 it, " chewed." All this time the three dogs were 

 worrying the lion's hind-quarters, and soon made it 

 so rough for him that he left his human foe to attack 

 them. Fearfully mangled as he was, the old man 

 struggled to his feet and staggered to the waggon, 

 replying to his daughter's startled exclamation, " The 

 damned lion has done for me." The animal got off, 

 and the wounded man was taken back as quickly as 

 possible to the Boer encampment at Sebakwe. I 

 found his wounds were being dressed with fresh 

 milk and castor oil, which seemed to act very 

 effectually, for within two months the sturdy old 

 fellow was again able to ride on horseback. Years 



