ADVENTURES WITH LIONS. 585 



lioness at which I had fired wheeled right round, and came 

 on lashing her tail, showing her teeth, and making that 

 horrid, murderous deep growl which an angry lion generally 

 utters. At the same moment, her comrade, who seemed 

 better to know that she was in the presence of man, made a 

 hasty retreat into the reeds. The instant the lioness came 

 on, I stood up to my full height, holding my rifle, and my 

 arms extended, and high above my head. This checked her 

 in her course ; but on looking round and missing her comrade, 

 and observing Ruyter slowly advancing, she was still more 

 exasperated, and, fancying that she was being surrounded, 

 she made another forward movement, growling terribly. 

 This was a moment of great danger, I felt that my only 

 chance of safety was extreme steadiness; so, standing 

 motionfess as a rock, with my eyes firmly fixed upon her, I 

 called out in a clear, commanding voice, " Holloa ! old girl, 

 what's the hurry? take it easy; holloa! holloa!" She 

 instantly once more halted, and seemed perplexed, looking 

 round for her comrade. I then thought it prudent to beat 

 a retreat, which I very slowly did, talking to the lioness all 

 the time. She seemed undecided as to her future movements, 

 and was gazing after me and snuffing the ground when I last 

 beheld her. 



But here we have another adventure of his with a lioness, 

 too, in which he does not prove altogether BO successful in 

 "running his face" upon the roused lady of the wastes. 



Suddenly I observed a number of vultures seated on the 

 plain about a quarter of a mile ahead of us, and close beside 

 them stood a huge lioness, consuming a blesbok which she 

 had killed. She was assisted in her repast by about a dozen 

 jackals, which were feasting along with her in the most 

 friendly and confidential manner. Directing my followers' 

 attention to the spot, I remarked, " I see the lion ;" to which 

 they replied, "Whar? whar? Yah! Almagtag! datishe;" 

 and instantly reining in their steeds and wheeling about, 



