THE LION OF SOUTH AFRICA. 85 



only waiting for the night, in order to spring upon 

 him. The situation was a critical one ; for, on the one 

 hand, the poor wretch could not reach his village 

 before night, and, on the other, he had no other 

 weapon than a stick. 



Trudging along, not without turning his head round 

 from time to time, our friend pondered what was the 

 best thing to be done, without being able to find a 

 satisfactory solution. The country was absolutely 

 naked not a tree or refuge of any kind at hand. At 

 length an idea occurred to him. 



In those parts there are frequently found rocks, 

 sometimes of a considerable height, which on one side 

 are connected with the surrounding land by a very 

 gentle slope, whilst on the other they rise to a peak, 

 and form a precipice : they call them Idiprons. 



To find a klipron became the fixed idea of the old 

 Hottentot ; and, turning aside from his path, he soon 

 found one, which sloped gradually upwards. He gained 

 the summit, and reaching the verge, he sat down, his 

 legs hanging over the precipice, and looked behind 

 him. The lion was standing still, and watching this 

 very doubtful manoeuvre . 



They remained thus, the man sitting, the beast 

 standing, until night came on. Then the Hottentot 

 quietly slid down to a projection on the vertical face 

 of the rock ; and, standing upright, he quickly placed 



