TROOP OF LIONS. 55 



lions, while, from the nature of the ground, they would have 

 been unable to render me any assistance. 



Being at last obliged to give up the search, two or three 

 of the men on whom we could best depend were sent on the 

 tracks of the scared mules and the remaining horse. After 

 many hours' hard walking they were discovered, but the 

 poor beasts had received such a fright that it was only with 

 great trouble and exertion that they were secured. 



Thinking that the lions would in all probability return 

 during the night to make an end of what was left of the 

 horse and mule, Galton and I determined to watch for them, 

 and selected for our ambush the summit of a steep rock im- 

 mediately near one of the carcasses. 



Shortly after sunset we proceeded to put our plan into 

 execution, and, having arrived within a short distance of 

 the slain animals, one of the people suddenly exclaimed, " Oh ! 

 look at the six bucks!" Imagine our astonishment when, 

 turning our eyes in the direction to which he pointed, we saw, 

 instead of antelopes, six magnificent lions ; and this, more- 

 over, on the very rock on which we had purposed ambush- 

 ing ourselves, and where, as we foolishly imagined, we should 

 have been in perfect security ! 



On perceiving that they were discovered, the beasts re- 

 treated behind the rock, but one or another of them would 

 nevertheless steal from its hiding-place occasionally and take 

 a peep at us. 



Contrary to the counsel of Mr. Galton and others of our 

 party, I now ascended the acclivity where we had last seen 

 the beasts ; but, although they were nowhere visible, I had 

 every reason to believe the whole troop was not far distant 

 from the spot where I stood. 



To have ambushed ourselves in the rock originally select- 

 ed was (from the evidence we had just had of its insecurity) 

 not now to be thought of, and we therefore looked out for a 

 safer place. The only one that offered, however, was a large 



