AN APPALLING TRAGEDY. 177 



Hendric was dead, and that a regiment nf soldiers could 

 not now help him, and, hunting my dogs forward, I had 

 every thing brought within the cattle-kraal, when wo 

 lighted our fire and closed the entrance as well as we 

 could. 



My terrified people sat round the fire with guns in 

 their hands till the day broke, still fancying that every 

 moment the lion would return and spring again into the 

 midst of us. When the dogs were first let go, the stu- 

 pid brutes, as dogs often prove when most required, in- 

 stead of going at the lion, rushed fiercely on one an- 

 other, and fought desperately for some minutes. After 

 this they got his wind, and, going at him, disclosed to 

 us his position : they kept up a continual barking until 

 the day dawned, the lion occasionally springing after 

 them and driving them in upon the kraal. The horri- 

 ble monster lay all night within forty yards of us, con- 

 suming the wretched man whom he had chosen for his 

 prey. He had dragged him into a little hollow at the 

 back of the thick bush beside which the fire was kindled, 

 and there he remained till the day dawned, careless of 

 our proximity. 



It appeared that when the unfortunate Hendric rose 

 to drive in the ox, the lion had watched him to his fire- 

 side, and he had scarcely lain down when the brute 

 sprang upon him and Ruyter (for both lay under one 

 blanket), with his appalling, murderous roar, and, roar- 

 ing as he lay, grappled him with his fearful claws, and 

 kept biting him on the breast and shoulder, all the 

 while feeling for his neck ; having got hold of which, 

 he at once dragged him away backward round the bush 

 into the dense shade. 



As the lion lay upon the unfortunate man, he faint- 

 ly cried, "Help me, help me I Oh God! men, help 

 H2 



