158 THE LIOX. 



was critical in the extreme. Straining eyes and ears 

 to discover the beast's whereabout, I held my breath 

 in fearful suspense, whilst every nerve was strung 

 to the highest pitch. Presently I heard, to my 

 astonishment, the report of a gun within fifty paces 

 of my hiding-place ; then a second and a third shot. 

 This made matters worse; for I now became appre- 

 hensive that the men, not aware of my presence, 

 might direct their fire towards me. I therefore 

 sprang to my feet, and vociferated " Who's there ?" 

 "Sir! the lion the lion !" replied Eyebrecht, the 

 interpreter, for it was no other. The next instant 

 he stood trembling before me. He had it appears 

 been sent by the chief Amral to call me back (he 

 entertaining great apprehensions for my personal 

 safety, several of his people having recently been 

 either killed or cruelly mangled by lions, then un- 

 usually numerous in the country, when on the watch 

 in the night time for game) but had encountered 

 the beast in his path, and fired in order to frighten 

 him away. 



Early next morning a number of Hottentots came 

 to examine the ground, when, as 1 had expected, 

 we found the foot-prints of a lion at the very back 

 of my "screen," and scarcely distant the length of 

 the gun-barrel from where my own person had been, 

 where lie had evidently been crouching previously 

 to leaping on the palhih (whose cry 1 had heard in 

 the night) ; but which, though wounded, had effected 

 its escape. How far the beast intended me mischief 

 is hard to say, but in any case my situation had not 

 been an enviable one. 



