A L I N - C H A S E. 223 



my trail and examined the river, and found the scaly 

 monster floating and quite dead in the pool where I had 

 left him. 



On the following morning, a Kaffir came to Inkau in 

 breathless haste to say that the evening before one of 

 his cows had been killed, as it was returning home, by a 

 lion, that had paid no attention to the shouting of the boy 

 who attended the cattle, but had carried her away right 

 before his eyes. Inkau was the great Nimrod of these 

 parts, and at once agreed to go in search of the lion. He 

 went into his kraal and brought out a very large necklace 

 of charmed medicine, which he fastened round his neck, 

 and with powder-horn, belt, and musket, and a very large 

 snuff-gourd, he announced himself ready to depart. I 

 thought my horses might be safer where they were, than 

 if I took one to ride to the kraal of the strange Kaffir, who 

 was named Maqueto. I therefore directed my own Kaffirs 

 to look after them, and to watch them from place to place 

 as they grazed. 



A walk of nearly twelve miles up the river brought us to 

 the scene of the lion's depredation on the previous night. 

 All the women and children kept close in their kraals, 

 and shouted to us, "Hambani gathle" (Go on well) ; 

 while some men, who did not seem at all inclined to leave 

 the protection of their palisades, complimented us as 

 we passed, and said, " Inkosi wena" (You are chiefs). 

 Inkau did not make a boast of his courage, although he 

 said, " Abantu saba naye " (The people are afraid of him, 

 i. e. the lion) . Inkau looked at the print of the lion's 

 foot, and pronounced him very big; he then followed 



