SINGULAR EXPEDIENT. 145 



herd, whose lives are held of no account whatever, 

 invariably ensued. Armed only with the assegai ami 

 shield, these men rush on the marauder, and should 

 they prove the victors, they retire from tho conflict, 

 bearing the head and feet of the lion to their royal 

 master. These are left to decompose within the 

 fence of the imperial kraal, which, as I have already 

 explained, is strewed with the bones of wild 

 animals." 



Elsewhere the gallant officer tells us : " No om> 

 dare present himself before this dreaded ruler who 

 has been wounded in an ignoble part iu battle, or 

 who has failed in his duty to the very letter." 



Again, the Bushmen, when they wish to be quit 

 of the lion which is not always the case, as on tho 

 remains of his victims they in certain districts 

 depend in some measure for their food resort to a 

 singular expedient to attain their ends. 



" It has been remarked by these men," says Dr. 

 Phillips, the Missionary, " that the lion generally 

 kills and devours his prey either at an early hour in 

 the morning or at sunset. When, therefore, they 

 purpose slaying the beast, they notice at sun-rise 

 where the springboks are grazing, and if they then 

 appear alarmed and run off, they conclude the 

 animals have been attacked by the lion. Marking 

 accurately the spot where the alarm took place, 

 they, about eleven o'clock of the day, when the sun is 

 powerful, and the enemy they seek is supposed to be 

 fast asleep, carefully examine the ground, and finding 

 the beast in a state of unguarded security, they 

 lodge a poisoned arrow in his breast. The moment 



i. 



