LION-HUNTING AND LIONS 289 



village called Mabotsa. When Livingstone first visited 

 Mabotsa, in the year 1843, he found all the people living 

 in terror of the lions, which would not only invade the 

 cattle-pens by night but attack the herds by day. This 

 happens so seldom, unless the lions are very hungry, that 

 the villagers explained it to themselves as being the result 

 of a spell wrought by a neighbouring tribe, which had 

 given them into the power of the lions ; and as they stood 

 rather in dread of the fierce beasts, the lions had it all 

 their own way. 



Livingstone, however, had other ideas about the 

 matter. He knew that if they could only manage to kill 

 one lion, the rest w T ould go and look for their dinner else- 

 where. So, when the herds were again attacked in the 

 grazing ground in broad daylight, he persuaded a large 

 body of men to come out with him and punish the 

 robbers. 



It was not long before the lions were seen comfortably 

 seated on some rocks which jutted out from the plain, 

 thickly covered with trees. Livingstone ordered his men 

 to surround the bill completely, at a distance, and then 

 gradually to approach nearer and nearer, so as to make a 

 close circle. A shot from the native schoolmaster hit 

 one of the animals lying on a spur of the rock, and very 

 much surprised him. He bit fiercely at the place, as if 

 he thought he had been stung by an insect, then got up, 

 and clearing the circle at a bound, vanished into the 

 distance. 



Two other lions followed his example, and got off 

 without a scratch, for neither Livingstone nor the school- 

 master could fire from below, without risk to the men 

 above ; and the fear of magic seemed to have so paralysed 

 the natives that they never even thought of using their 

 spears, as was the custom of their nation. Seeing it was 

 hopeless to get the men to act, Livingstone called them 

 off, and gave the word to return to the village. On their 

 way past the foot of the hill they came suddenly upon 

 K u 



