56 SOUTH AFRICA. 



having become weary of the dry antelope meat we 

 had so long fed on. My companion had work in 

 hand of which fact I was rather glad, as he was 

 about the worst shot in South Africa, albeit one 

 of the pluckiest fellows I have met. So I started 

 alone for the " randt " before mentioned, taking a 

 favourite little 16 double gun (by Beckwith, of 

 Snow Hill, London), with 26-inch barrels, loaded 

 with No. 5 shot, and some spare ammunition, in- 

 clusive of a few bullets, to be in a position to 

 defend myself from molestation in case of need, 

 as the lions had been very noisy all night. 



Before getting to the stony ridge, I could see 

 the guineafowl were busily making rapid tracks 

 towards the summit, and just as I gained it were 

 disappearing down the other side, as the top of 

 the ridge was only about forty yards wide. 

 Stumbling along in pursuit, suddenly I trod on 

 something soft, and instinctively took a good spring 

 off it Before I could look round a fearful growl- 

 ing became audible, and two lion cubs, about the 

 size of an ordinary sporting spaniel, became 

 visible, evidently in a fury at being so roughly 

 disturbed. Not wishing to kill them, I was just 

 about to signal for assistance to the camp, with 



