CARNARIA. CARNIVORA. 85 



the cover, but this was loudly remonstrated against 

 by the Hottentots, and overruled by our expe- 

 rienced companions, who knew the danger of one 

 of the party being upset by a sudden spring of the 

 animals, before the others could get a shot. At last 

 the Lion suddenly sprang up, and with a short roar, 

 or snort, and an impatient toss of his head and 

 mane, bounded away down the little valley, one 

 of the Hottentots immediately mounting and pursu- 

 ing him with loud cries, and at last firing a shot, 

 when he couched in a thick patch of reeds, the 

 man remaining like a sentry on the declivity to 

 watch him. The impatience of one or two now 

 overcame all caution ; and we advanced in a line 

 in the high sedges, when the female suddenly went 

 off with a smiliar leap and grunt, but in another 

 direction, a shot fired by me to bring her to, having 

 no effect. She lay again in a thick patch, about 

 three hundred yards off, and we were now sure of 

 her. We immediately followed, and lining the 

 the nearest edge of the cover, here about seventy 

 yards across, with some coaxing got the dog to 

 enter. After beating a little, he was crossing to- 

 wards us, when, all at once, as if fascinated, he 

 stopped short, with his head on one side, and his 

 nose pointing to a spot not three yards from him, 

 and with a look of most ludicrous amazement, in 

 fact, struck all of a heap, as they say ; but quickly 

 slinking off, he backed out of the scrape. On a 

 shot being fired at the spot, up she bounded with 

 a sharp angry roar, and at first came towards us, 



