1 62 DAYS AND NIGHTS BY THE DESERT. 



As long as lions are young, active, and in robust 

 health, the inhabitants have really an objection to 

 their being shot, for the reason that they provide 

 many a meal for the starving bushmen and shep- 

 herds out of the wild ruminants ; but when their 

 prime is over they prefer beef or mutton to game, 

 neither of which requires much exertion to capture. 

 Moreover, when an old mannikin sets this repre- 

 hensible example to his wives and descendants, it is 

 wonderful how soon his family become demoralized 

 and follow in the footsteps of the head of the 

 family. 



Our informant further told us that there was a 

 kraal of bush people a short distance off, at the back 

 of the hill under which we were outspanned, the in- 

 habitants of which could doubtlessly show us where 

 the old gentleman made his head-quarters. So, 

 taking all the hounds, even to Old Bull and the 

 pointer, and all the available people we could 

 muster, some minutes before the sun was up a 

 start was made for the station alluded to. On 

 arrival at it, the headman was summoned, who > 

 turned out to be quite a jovial old savage, with a 

 merry twinkle in his eye, that told plainly that 

 ; he was fond of a joke and good living. 



Yes, he saw the necessity or the benefit of get- 

 ting rid of the old lion ; but he added, sotto voce, that 

 it was a pity it had not taken his old wives off first. 

 But the whisper was not suppressed enough for an 



