ADVENTURE WITH TWO LIONESSES. 233 



clouds arose along the horizon on every side, and con- 

 stant thunder bellowed in the distance: a little before 

 the sun went down the sky above and all around looked 

 extremely threatening, and I directed my people to pre- 

 pare for a tempestuous night. 



At this time I observed a reitbuck grazing beyond 

 the dense reeds on the other side of the Molopo, and 1 

 at once held for him, with my little Moore rifle, ac- 

 companied by my Bushman. We had some difficulty 

 in penetrating the dense reeds, and on gaining the other 

 side a change in the direction of the wind started off 

 the reitbuck. I then observed two other reitbuck, a 

 buck and a doe, coming out to graze some distance to 

 windward, and commenced a stalk in upon them. Hav- 

 ing proceeded about half way, I suddenly observed two 

 huge yellow lionesses about a hundred and fifty yards 

 to my left, walking along the edge of the reeds, holding 

 a course parallel to my own. The reitbucks smelled 

 the lions and lay down. I got very near them, but 

 they started oft', and bounded. straight away from me: 

 I fired and missed the buck. 



Ruyter came toward me, and I ran forward to obtain 

 a view beyond a slight rise in the ground to see whither 

 the lionesses had gone. In so doing I came suddenly 

 upon them, within about seventy yards ; they were stand- 

 ing looking back at Ruyter. I then very rashly com- 

 menced making a rapid stalk in upon them, and fired at 

 the nearest, having only one shot in my rifle. The ball 

 told loudly, and the lioness at which I had fired wheeled 

 rig])t round, and. came on lashing her tail, showing her 

 teeth, and making that horrid, murderous deep growl 

 which an angry lion generally utters. At the same 

 moment her comrade, who seemed better to know that 

 she was in the presence of man, made a hasty retreat 



