70 THK LION. 



However fabulous it may appear that a lion 

 should actually make his way into a dwelling house, 

 there can be little doubt that this has happened. 

 Once, indeed, as recorded in " Lake Ngarai," one 

 of these beasts actually found its way into the 

 church at Richterieldt. The alarm being given, 

 the Damaras, assegai in hand, rushed to the spot, 

 and seizing- him by the tail and ears, dragged him 



o / J o o 



bodily out of the sacred edifice. The poor brute 

 was actually dying of starvation, and offered but a 

 very feeble resistance. I myself saw his skin. 



In further proof that the lion is not at all times 

 shy of approaching the abodes of men, I may men- 

 tion, in parenthesis, that I was informed by Mr. 

 Rath, the Rhenish missionary at Richterfeldt, in 

 Damaralaud, that lions, as well as other beasts of 

 prey, not seldom harboured in a tamarind grove 

 near at hand, and that it was no uncommon tiling 

 even for lions to proceed from thence into his gar- 

 den, and to approach to within a few paces of the 

 dwelling-house itself. 



In corroboration of Mr. Rath, I may here state 

 that when, many years ago, Mr. Galton and myself 

 were encamped near to the tamarind grove just 

 spoken of, the men on a certain occasion asked and 

 obtained permission to spend the evening with an 

 acquaintance whose kraal was not far distant, and 

 as Mr. (jail on was then absent at the Mission House 

 and the dogs had followed our people, 1 was thus 

 left quite, alone. The night, though somewhat 

 warm, was delightfully bright and still. To enjoy 

 the beautiful weather 1 had takrn my bedding out 



