268 LARGE GAME. CHAP. v. 



was in camp, while the big branches on which the meat 

 was were some five yards beyond. Being still half asleep, 

 the idea of our dogs being the culprits was uppermost in 

 his mind, and he called out " Get away," and flung a small 

 brand in the direction. This was answered by a low growl. 

 Now it is a well-known fact that the hyena, whether with 

 the intention of deceiving people or not, utters under 

 circumstances like these a growl that may easily be mis- 

 taken for that of a lion, and the man was not sure what 

 he had to deal with, but thought it wisest to awaken the 

 next man, who was a half-caste Hottentot, and whispering 

 to him what was going on, they silently took up their 

 guns and listened. In about five minutes the crunching 

 was recommenced, and as the loom of the meat could be 

 seen they both fired under it, but dead silence was all that 

 resulted. If any one had stirred out to look, as was sug- 

 gested, they would certainly have found a lioness lying 

 crouched flat beneath the meat, but, as no one did so, the 

 camp, after a short discussion, was soon asleep again. 



When morning dawned and I went round to that part 

 of the camp, I found that who our midnight visitant had 

 been was already settled beyond a doubt, for some of the 

 men awaking while it was yet dim twilight had seen a 

 large animal slink off in the direction of the reeds, and 

 the footprints showed that it had been a full-grown lioness. 

 The mark she had left on the ground proved that she 

 must have spent much of the night under the meat, 

 a large piece of which was missing, and my suspicions 

 being raised that it must have been the identical animal 

 Usikoto had fired at on the previous evening, I went to 

 look, and found her spoor encircling the camp. 



