144 THE LIOX. 



proper moment, tliey divert the attention of the 

 charging beast from the object of his vengeance, 

 and thus enable the rest of the party to rush on and 

 destroy him with their assegais." 



By the native chieftains the " ring-hunts" in 

 question are at times conducted on a very grand 

 scale, both as regards the number of men taking 

 part in them, and the extent of ground embraced by 

 the cordon. 



" On these occasions," says Harris, when speak- 

 ing of the redoubtable Moselekatse, " he is attended 

 by a retinue of several thousands of his subjects, 

 who extend themselves in a circle, enclosing many 

 miles of country, and gradually converging so as to 

 bring incredible numbers of wild animals within a 

 small focus. Still advancing, the ring at length 

 becomes a thick and continuous line of men, hem- 

 ming in the game on all sides, which, in desperate 

 efforts to escape, displays the most daring and 

 dangerous exhibition of sport that can be conceived. 

 As the scene closes, the spears of the warriors deal 

 death around them, affording a picture thrilling to 

 the sportsman, and striking in the extreme." 



The chieftain just named, I may mention in 

 parenthesis, was possessed of enormous herds of 

 horned cattle, many of which were pastured at long 

 distances from his own residence, and, as with cattle 

 everywhere else in the wilds of Africa, were not uri- 

 frcquently attacked by lions. " When such was 

 the case," says Harris (and Moffatt, at page 54'3, 

 testifies to the like effect), " the death either of the 

 beasts, or of one or more- of the guardians of the 



