lRoualcv?n Gcoroc Gordon Cummtmi 283 



few yards of us, followed by the shrieking of the 

 Hottentots. Again and again the murderous roar of 

 attack was repeated. We heard John and Ruytcr 

 shriek, ' The lion ! the lion ! ' still, for a few moments, 

 we thought he was but chasing one of the dogs 

 round the kraal ; but next instant, John Stofolus rushed 

 into the midst of us almost speechless with fear, his 

 eyes bursting from their sockets, and shrieked out, ' The 

 lion ! the lion ! He has got Hendrick ; he dragged him 

 away from the fire beside me. I struck him with the 

 burning brands upon his head, but he would not let go 

 his hold. Oh, God ! Hendrick is dead ! Let us take 

 fire and seek him.' The rest of my people rushed 

 about, shrieking and yelling as if they were mad. I 

 was at once angry with them for their folly, and told 

 them that if they did not stand still and keep quiet the 

 lion would have another of us ; and that very likely 

 there was a troop of them. I ordered the dogs, which 

 were nearly all fast, to be made loose, and the fire to be 

 increased as far as could be. I then shouted Hendrick's 

 name, but all was still. I told my men that Hendrick 

 was dead, and that a regiment of soldiers could not 

 now help him, and, hunting my dogs forward, I had 

 everything brought within the cattle-kraal, when we 

 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 every 

 moment that the lion would return, and spring again 

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

 the stupid brutes, as dogs often prove when most 



