138 THE LION. 
A soldier, belonging to a line regiment, had heard that a great quantity of money 
might be obtained from amongst the Dutch Boers in the interior, by various simple pro- 
cesses with which he fancied himself acquainted. 
Selecting a favourable opportunity, he deserted, taking care to well fill his haversack 
with meat, to serve him during his march across the wild uninhabited district which 
separated the Dutch locations from our frontier, 
The soldier marched, during two days, some sixty miles or so, taking care when he 
slept to place the bag containing his meat under his head. On the third or fourth night, 
he lay down as usual to rest, with his head upon his pillow. It happened that in the 
country to which he belonged Lions were very common, and one of these unwelcome 
visitors happened to be prowling about in search of a supper, and dropped upon the 
military hero who was quietly snoring. 
Whether the Lion were aware of the fierce calling of the sleeper, and therefore paid 
him some respect, is not mentioned ; but, instead of carrying off the man, he merely clawed 
up the bag, and trotted away growling with his trophy. The only damage that he had 
inflicted on the soldier was the abstraction of a few inches of his scalp. 
A Dutch Boer found the deserter wandering half starved on the plain, where he had 
been without food for a day and a night. The Boer fed and doctored him, but in return 
made him act as leader to the oxen and waggon, a position considered by the Dutch 
Boers to be the most degrading to man.” 
“NEAR the sources of the Mooi river there are several extensive plains on which large 
herds of elands and hartebeest were formerly found. Bordering on these plains are several 
ranges of hills, spurs from the Quathlomba mountains, and between these rocky spurs, 
kloofs or ravines exist, affording shelter for bush-buck, buffaloes, and many other animals 
which seek cover amongst either reeds or bushes. 
At the time when the following scene occurred, there was scarcely an inhabitant im 
this locality besides a few Welshmen, who resided amongst the stony hills, and lived 
by the chase, and two or three Dutch Boers, the remnants of those who had accompanied 
Maritz in his migration from the old colony. 
The Dutchmen had built themselves some wattle-and-daub huts, and were contented 
to remain where they were, as hunting and grazing-grounds were plentiful. A few thefts 
performed by their little neighbours, the Bushmen, had caused a commando to be raised, 
and, during the invasion of the hills that were then occupied by these little men, a boy 
had been captured by one of the Boers, and had been retained as a domestic. This 
individual will figure in the following scene with the Lion. 
One evening, whilst one of these Boers was sitting with his son, a lad of about six- 
teen years of age, in front of his hut, smoking his stone pipe, and looking with pride upon 
his sleek herds which grazed about him, he noticed some object that moved slowly along 
the side of an old watercourse at a considerable distance from him. <A telescope was an 
article of value which few of these residents possessed; it was therefore by patient watch- 
ing only that the father and son at length discovered that the object was a Lion, which 
appeared to be carefully stalking a valuable black stallion grazing near the old water- 
course. Instantly seizing their guns, which were as usual loaded and at hand, the two 
ran down towards the Lion, shouting as they went to the Hottentots who were engaged 
about the farm. 
These individuals did not appear to be anxious about hurrying towards the scene of 
danger, and, consequentiy, the Dutchman and his son reached the stallion before any other 
aid arrived. 
The course which they had followed caused them to lose sight of the Lion in 
consequence of intervening slopes of ground, so that, wpon reaching the horse, which 
was grazing unconscious of danger, no Lion was to be seen. The young Boer, acting 
against the advice of his father, walked along the side of a ravine, in search of the grim 
monster. The old Boer repeatedly called to his incautious son to come back, and wait 
for the Hottentots and the dogs, which would soon come up; but, finding his advice 
disregarded, he left the horse, and walked towards his son, whom he found throwing stones 
