An Improvised Night- Watch 143 



on my night-watches, because it is easy to eat you 

 have no need of bread, salt, plate, or glass: only a 

 spoon. My meal over, I remain motionless. 



I am placed in such a position that the moon 

 illuminates the ground to my left where the pool 

 and the tree, upon which are my men, are situated ; 

 the zebra is opposite me about 30 feet away. Three 

 irregular openings, sufficiently large to pass the head 

 and shoulders through, act as outlooks. I must add 

 that our installation is more intended to hide than to 

 protect us, for a lion jumping on to it would suffice 

 to overturn it. There is some risk in thus venturing ; 

 but it must be remembered that this night-watch was 

 decided upon in a few minutes by taking advantage 

 of circumstances, and in this kind of sport, especially 

 with the lion, w r hich is so difficult to meet, an oppor- 

 tunity must be seized or it may slip through your 

 fingers for ever. " Nothing venture, nothing have," 

 says a proverb, and never has its application been 

 more apt. 



I am convinced that the lions will not be long. 

 The somewhat rare fact of them having attacked and 

 killed an animal in open daylight shows that they 

 were hungry. Momentarily disturbed by our arrival, 

 they will doubtless return as soon as quietness is 

 restored. Twice we hear in the distance the braying 

 of a zebra, weeping for its dead or absent companion; 

 crickets begin to chirp ; and in the distance, every 

 now and then, is heard the cry of a bat. 1 



1 A large fructivorous bat whose cry exactly resembles the noise of 

 blows on an anvil. 



