THE LION. 141 
no great advance, for the kloof was about a mile in length, and three or four hundred 
yards i in breadth ; and the cover was composed of wait-a-bit thorns, creepers, and long 
grass, forming a jungle so thick and impenetrable, that for a man to enter appeared almost 
unpossible. 
It was therefore agreed that the Boer should station himself on one side, whilst the 
Hottentot went to the other side of the kloof, and that the dogs should be sent into the 
cover. This arrangement, it was hoped, would enable either the Dutchman or Hottentot 
to obtain a shot ; for each concluded that the dogs, which were very courageous animals, 
would drive the Lion out of the kloof, and that it would, upon breaking cover, afford one 
or the other a good chance. 
The excited barks of the dogs soon indicated that they had discovered the Lion, but 
they appeared to be unable to drive him from his stronghold: for although they would 
scamper away every now and again, as though the enraged monster were charging them, 
still they returned to bay at the same spot. 
Both of the hunters fired several shots, upon the hope that a stray bullet might find 
its way through the underwood to the heart of the savage. But a great quantity of 
ammunition was expended, and no result achieved. 
At length, as the dogs had almost ceased to bark, it was considered advisable to call 
them off. But all the w histling and shouting failed in recalling more than two out of the 
six, and one of these was fearfully maimed. The others, it was afterwards found, had 
been disposed of by the Lion in the most unceremonious manner; a blow from his paw 
had sufticed either to break the back or smash the skull of the nearest intruder. 
It thus happens that the bravest dogs are not always the best adapted for Lion or 
buffalo hunting. A cur is, perhaps, the most suitable ; for while a courageous dog will 
boldly face a Lion, and even yenture within reach of his deadly stroke, and thus soon be 
“expended,” a cur will continue to annoy and occupy the attention of the fierce game, but 
at the same time will take good care of its own safety. It is not expected that a dog is to 
struggle with either a Lion or a buffalo ; its duty is merely to distract the animal, and 
prevent it from devoting too much of its time to the hunter. Well-bred dogs are nearly 
useless when employed ‘against dangerous game. 
This, the first attempt on the Lion, was a total failure, and the Boer returned home to 
lament the loss of his dogs, and to refresh himself after his exertions. During the night, 
he watched beside his kraal, but the Lion did not pay him a second visit. 
Early on the following evening, he, accompanied by his Hottentot, started afresh for 
the kloof, and haying marked the spot from which the Lion had on the former occasion 
quitted the dense thorny jungle, the two hunters ascended a tree, and watched during the 
whole night for a glimpse at their purposed victim. But whilst they were paying the resi- 
dence of the Lion a visit, he favoured the farm with a call, and this time, by way of variety, 
carried away a very valuable horse, which he conveyed to the kloof, having been wise 
enough to walk out and return by a different path to that which he used on the former 
occasion. Consequently he had avoided the ambush which had been prepared for him. 
When the Boer returned to his farm, he became furious at his new loss, abused the 
Totties and Kaffirs for their neglect and cowardice, but soon became reasonable, and 
determined on a plan which, although dangerous, was still the one which appeared the 
most likely to insure the destruction of this ravenous monster. This plan was to enter 
the dense kloof on foot, without dogs, and to endeavour by fair stalking to obtain his shot 
at the Lion, / 
Now, when we consider the difficulty of moving through any cover without making 
a noise, and also the watchful habits of every member of the felime race, we may be 
certain that to surprise the Lion was a matter of extreme difficulty, and that the probability 
was that the Dutchman would meet with a disaster. 
At about ten o'clock on the morning after the horse slaughter, the Boer started for the 
kloof, armed with a double-barrelled smooth bore, and clothed in the most approved bush 
costume. He would not allow his faithful Hottentot to accompany him, because, as 
success mainly depended upon surprise, he considered that the highly flavoured Totty 
might be scented by the Lion; whereas he alone would be more likely to escape 
