94 ATTACKED BY LIONS. 



for emergences, I made toward the beast, intending to punish 

 her for her audacity, when Hans imploringly begged me to 

 desist. " For," said he, " if you do not shoot her dead on 

 the spot, she will be down upon us in an instant." 



Allowing myself to be guided by his advice, I refrained 

 from firing, but nevertheless took up my position within about 

 fifty paces of, and opposite to the lioness, as well to draw off 

 her attention from the men, and thus enable them to put the 

 cattle and vehicles to-rights, as to be in readiness to give her 

 a warm reception, should she think proper to charge. 



A short time before we were thus unceremoniously at- 

 tacked, one of the draft oxen, which had always been very 

 wild, managed to escape from the yoke, and a fleet-footed 

 Damara was left behind to bring him on. In the midst of 

 our confusion, we heard cries of distress and loud shouting 

 behind us, and, on looking round, we saw, to our horror, the 

 lion in full chase as well of the refractory ox as the man, 

 who was trying to keep off his fierce pursuer by violently 

 waving the fire-brand which he carried in his hand.* Tell- 

 ing Hans to mind the lioness as well as he could in my ab- 

 sence, I immediately ran to the rescue of the Damara and 

 hisxharge ; but, before I had proceeded far, the ox, catching 

 sight of the remainder of the herd, made a successful dash 

 right across the lion's path, and fortunately rejoined us in 

 safety. The object of the lion was clearly more the beast 

 than the man ; for, upon finding himself thus suddenly baf- 

 fled, he stopped short, and with a savage look at us, and an 

 angry growl, bounded out of sight as quick as thought 5 and 

 by the time I returned to the wagons, the lioness had thought 

 fit to follow her lord's example. Thus, almost without any 

 effort on our side, we were providentially saved from this 

 most extraordinary and dangerous attack. 



* In the nights the Damaras invariably carry a fire-brand, which 

 they '-hold close to their bodies, in order to shelter themselves, in some 

 degree, from the wind and cold. 



