THE LION. 141 



was no great advance, for the kloof was about a mile in length, and three or four 

 hundred yards in breadth ; and the cover was composed of wait-a-bit thorns, creepers, 

 and long grass, forming a jungle so thick and impenetrable, that for a man to enter 

 appeared almost impossible. 



It was therefore agreed that the Boer should station himself on one side, whilst the 

 Hottentot went to the other side of the kloof, and that the dogs should be sent into the 

 cover. This arrangement, it was hoped, would enable either the Dutchman or Hottentot 

 to obtain a shot ; for each concluded that the dogs, which were very courageous 

 animals, would drive the Lion out of the kloof, and that it would, upon breaking cover, 

 afford one or the other a good chance. 



The excited barks of the dogs soon indicated that they had discovered the Lion, but 

 they appeared to be unable to drive him from his stronghold : for although they would 

 scamper away every now and again, as though the enraged monster were charging 

 them, still they returned to bay at the same spot. 



Both of the hunters fired several shots, upon the hope that a stray bullet might find 

 its way through the underwood to the heart of the savage. But a great quantity of 

 ammunition was expended, and no result achieved. 



At length, as the dogs had almost ceased to bark, it was considered advisable to call 

 them off. But all the whistling and shouting failed in recalling more than two out of the 

 six, and one of these was fearfully maimed. The others, it was afterwards found, had 

 been disposed of by the Lion in the most unceremonious manner ; a blow from his paw 

 had sufficed either to break the back or smash the skull of the nearest intruder. 



It thus happens that the bravest dogs are not always the best adapted for Lion or 

 buffalo hunting. A cur is, perhaps, the most suitable ; for while a courageous dog will 

 boldly face a Lion, and even venture within reach of his deadly stroke, and thus soon 

 be " expended," a cur will continue to annoy and occupy the attention of the fierce 

 game, but at the same time will take good care of its own safety. It is not expected 

 that a dog is to struggle with either a Lion or a buffalo ; its duty is merely to distract 

 the animal, and prevent it from devoting too much of its time to the hunter. Well-bred 

 dogs are nearly useless when employed against dangerous game. 



This, the first attempt on the Lion, was a total failure, and the Boer returned home 

 to lament the loss of his dogs, and to refresh himself after his exertions. During the 

 night, he watched beside his kraal, but the Lion did not pay him a second visit. 



Early on the following evening, he, accompanied by his Hottentot, started afresh for 

 the kloof, and having marked the spot from which the Lion had on the former occasion 

 quitted the dense thorny jungle, the two hunters ascended a tree, and watched during 

 the whole night for a glimpse at their purposed victim. But whilst they were paying the 

 residence of the Lion a visit, he favored the farm with a call, and* this time, by way of 

 variety, caryed away a very valuable horse, which he conveyed to the kloof, having 

 been wise enough to walk out and return by a different path to that which he used on 

 the former occasion. Consequently he had avoided the ambush which had been pre- 

 pared for him. 



When the Boer returned to his farm, he became furious at his new loss, abused the 

 Totties and Kaffirs for their neglect and cowardice, but soon became reasonable, and 

 determined on a plan which, although dangerous, was still the one which appeared the 

 most likely to insure the destruction of this ravenous monster. This plan was to enter 

 the dense kloof on foot, without dogs, and to endeavor by fair stalking to obtain his 

 shot at the Lion. 



Now, when we consider the difficulty of moving through any cover without making 

 a noise, and also the watchful habits of every member of the feline race, we may be 

 certain that to surprise the Lion was a matter of extreme difficulty, and that the prob- 

 ability was that the Dutchman would meet with a disaster. 



At about ten o'clock on the morning after the horse slaughter, the Boer started for 

 the kloof, armed with a double-barrelled smooth bore, and clothed in the most approved 

 bush costume. He would not allow his faithful Hottentot to accompany him, because, 

 as success mainly depended upon surprise, he considered that the highly flavored 

 Totty might be scented by the Lion ; whereas he alone would be more likely to escape 



