THRILLING ADVENTURES IN AFRICA. 179 



valley of Mabotsa, the home of the Makatla branch of the Bechuana 

 tribe, where he removed in 1843. 



Here the chief difficulty to contend with at first was the nmiiber 

 and ferocity of the lions, which not only leaped into the cattle pens 

 of the village of Mabotsa at night, but sometimes attacked the herds 

 in broad daylight. Expeditions sent out against the marauders 

 returned without having achieved any success, and knowing that if 

 but one of the troop of lions were killed the others would take alarm 

 and leave the country. Livingstone determined himself to join a 

 sortie against them. 



THE FEROCITY OF THE LION OCCASIONS ALARM. 



Great was the consternation of the natives, who firmly believed 

 that a neighboring tribe had given them into the power of these 

 merciless animals. Their attacks upon them were feeble and half- 

 hearted, so that hitherto the lions had come off victors. Livingstone 

 now came to their aid, and the cry was — 



" Mount ! mount for the hunting ! the lion is near ! 

 The cattle and herdsmen are quaking with fear. 

 Call the dogs ! light the torches ! away to the glen ! 

 If needs be, we'll beard the fierce brute in its den." 



They discovered their game on a small tree-covered hill. The 

 circle of hunters, at first loosely formed around the spot, gradually 

 closed up, and became compact as they advanced towards it. Me- 

 balwe, a native schoolmaster, who was with Livingstone, seeing one 

 of the lions sitting on a piece of rock within the ring, fired but missed 

 him, the ball striking the rock by the feet of the animal, which, biting 

 first at the spot struck, bounded away, broke through the circle, 

 and escaped, the natives not having the courage to stand close and 

 spear him in the attempt, as they should have done. 



The circle re-formed, having yet within it two other lions, at 

 which the pieces could not be fired, lest some of the men on the 

 opposite side should be hit. Again there was a bound and a roar, 

 and yet again ; and the natives scattered and fled, while the lions 

 went forth free to continue their devastations. 



But they did not seem to have retreated far, for as the party 



