256 TEE GREAT THIRST LAND. 



feelings by wailing because they were not participators in 

 the feast. 



About three in the morning I had been round the 

 fires to urge the boys to keep them up, when suddenly 

 the draft oxen, who were tied to their yokes the far 

 end of the treck-tow being fastened to a tree made a 

 desperate effort to break loose ; but fortunately they 

 were all secured with new buffalo reims, which I had 

 procured in Marico to be used on such occasions as the 

 present. 



At length day broke, and we started for the scene 

 of action, both armed with double eight-bore guns. 

 We were not long kept in doubt what had been the 

 victim, for there lay a large portion of the hind quarters 

 of the old bay elephant-horse; but where were the 

 lions ? We did our best to discover them, but the 

 underbrush was so dense that we could not hope for 

 success. 



From several of the neighbouring trees our absent 

 people now descended. In them they had been perched 

 all night ; and what between bruises, thorns, and wet, 

 looked indeed the personification of misery. The tall 

 Macalaca also presented himself : he also had found a 

 hiding-place ; and from him we learn that he had fired 

 at one of the lions, and was certain he had wounded it. 

 Whether this was so or not, all agreed in the statement 

 that the lions, of which they said there were seven, had 

 only left the remains of the carcase when they heard us 

 approach. 



The missing cattle had now to be recovered; and 

 we were far from feeling satisfied that we knew the 

 extent of our losses. Taking the back trail, we spoored 

 them for two miles along the road; here they had 



