OUSTING A LION FROM A BRAKE. 103 



was interrupted by the arrival of several natives, 

 who, in breathless haste, related that an onycama, or 

 lion, had just killed one of their goats close to the 

 mission station (Richterfeldt), and begged of me to 

 lend them a hand in destroying the beast. They 

 had so often cried " wolf," that I did not give 

 much heed to their statements ; but, as they per- 

 sisted in their story, I at last determined to ascer- 

 tain the truth. Having strapped to my waist a 

 shooting-belt, containing the several requisites of a 

 hunter sucli as bullets, caps, knife, c., I shoul- 

 dered my trusty double-barrelled gun (after loading 

 it with steel-pointed balls), and followed the 

 men. 



In a short time, wo reached the spot where the 

 lion was believed to have taken refuge. This was 

 in a dense tamarisk brake, of some considerable 

 extent, situated partly on, and partly below, the 

 sloping banks of the Swakop, near to its junction 

 with the Oinuteuna, one of its tributaries, 



On the rising ground, above the brake in ques- 

 tion, were drawn up, in battle array, a number of 

 Damaras and Namaquas, some armed with assegais, 

 and a few with guns. Others of the party were in 

 the brake itself, endeavouring to oust the lion. 



But as it seemed to me that the "beaters " were 

 timid, and, moreover, somewhat slow in their move- 

 ments, I called them back, and, accompanied by 

 only one or two persons, as also a few worthless 

 dogs, entered the brake myself. It was rather a 

 dangerous proceeding, for, in places, the cover was 

 so thick and tangled as to oblige me to creep en 



