MR. ANDERSSON AND THE LION, 29 



direction, shaking his burnous either from left to right, or from right to left. Finally, if the animal 

 proceeds in the direction of the hunters, the ' man of the watch ' places himself exactly opposite them, 

 shakes his burnous violently, and cries with all his might, ' Aou likoumf ('Take care ! ') At this 

 signal the hunters draw themselves up in a line, if possible against a rock, so that their position 

 may not be turned. Woe to him who has not heard the cry of ' Aou likoum !' in sufficient time, and 

 has stopped at some distance from his comrades." 



When a Lion actually comes in sight, all concealment is, of course, at an end. The Arabs get as 

 near as possible, to fire, and as soon as their guns are discharged rush upon the wounded beast with 

 their pistols and swords. As might naturally be expected the casualties in this mode of warfare are 

 fearful ; hardly a hunt takes place unmarked by the death of one or more of the hunters. 



One of the most daring single combats of which we ever remember to have read was one 

 between a great black-maned Lion and Mr. C. J. Andersson, who had all the real part of the fight 

 entirely to himself. The account is also interesting as showing like, perhaps, most descriptions of 

 the same kind how very tenacious of life the Lion is, for the animal in question, although it had 

 received the contents of both Mr. Andersson 's barrels, one of which completely smashed its shoulder, 

 had a sufficient number of its nine lives left to enable it to get clear off, and cheat its gallant destroyer 

 of his lawful spoil the skin. 



" One day, when eating my humble dinner, I was interrupted by the arrival of several natives, 

 who, in breathless haste, related that an Ongeama, or Lion, had just killed one of their Goats close 

 to the mission station (Richterfeldt), and begged of me to lend them a hand in destroying the beast. 

 They had so often cried ' Wolf ! ' that I did not give much heed to their statements ; but, as they 

 persisted in their story, I at last determined to ascertain its truth. Having strapped to my waist 

 a shooting-belt containing the several requisites of a hunter such as bullets, caps, knife, &c. I 

 shouldered my trusty double-barrelled gun (after loading it with steel-pointed balls), and followed 

 the men. 



" In a short time we reached the spot where the Lion was believed to have taken refuge. This 

 was in a dense tamarisk brake of some considerable extent, situated partially on and below the 

 sloping banks of the Swakop, near to its junction with the Omutenna, one of its tributaries. 



" On the rising ground above the brake in question were drawn up in battle array a number of 

 Damaras and Namaquas, some armed with assegais, and a few with guns. Others of the party were 

 in the brake itself, endeavouring to oust the Lion. 



" But as it seemed to me that the ' beaters ' were timid, and moreover somewhat slow in their 

 movements, I called them back, and, accompanied by only one or two persons, as also a few worthless 

 Dogs, entered the brake myself. It was rather a dangerous proceeding, for in places the cover was so 

 thick and tangled as to oblige me to creep on my hands and knees, and the Lion in consequence might 

 easily have pounced upon me without a moment's warning. At that time, however, I had not 

 obtained any experimental knowledge of the old saying, ' A burnt child dreads the fire,' and therefore 

 felt little or no apprehension. 



" Thus I had proceeded for some time when suddenly, and within a few paces of where I stood, I 

 heard a low, angry growl, which caused the Dogs, with hair erect in the manner of Hogs' bristles, and 

 with their tails between their legs, to slink behind my heels. Immediately afterwards, a tremendous 

 shout of ' Ongeama, Ongeama !' was raised by the natives on the bank above, followed by a discharge 

 of firearms. Presently, however, all was still again, for the Lion, as I subsequently learnt, after 

 showing himself on the outskirts of the brake, had retreated into it. 



" Once more I attempted to dislodge the beast ; but finding the enemy awaiting him in the 

 more open country, he was very loth to leave his stronghold. Again, however, I succeeded in 

 driving him to the edge of the brake, where, as in the first instance, he was received with a 

 volley ; but a broomstick would have been equally efficacious as a gun in the hands of these people, 

 for, out of a great number of shots that were fired, not one seemed to have taken effect. 



" Worn out at length by my exertions, and disgusted beyond measure at the way in which 

 the natives bungled the affair, I left the tamarisk brake, and, rejoining them on the bank above, 

 offered to change places with them. But my proposal, as I expected, was forthwith declined. 



" As the day, however, was now fast drawing to a close, I determined to make one other effort 



