26 NEWS OF A LION. [chaf. n. 



It seemed to me the most princely of presents. Meat 

 keeps wonderfully well here in this season (August and 

 September), and even dries instead of tainting ; but I 

 subsequently found it otherwise in December. I had 

 taken plenty of salt meat with me from Cape Town, 

 and rice and biscuits — quite two months' provisions — 

 for I knew it must be a long time before we could fall 

 into the ways of the countiy, and find our own commis- 

 .sariat there. 



I gave the mules a day's rest, and then started 

 with my first load to Scheppmansdorf. Andersson 

 remained behind. Mr. Bam had sent me word that a 

 lion had come over from the Swakop Eiver, and was 

 prowling about and very daiing, and that a hunt should 

 be got up at once. As we travelled sometimes in the 

 soft sand of the river bed, sometimes on the gi'avelly 

 plain, thi'ough which it runs, we kept a sharp look 

 out for the track that had been seen there : we 

 found it after we had travelled ten miles. The natives 

 amused themselves by cleverly imitating it ; they half 

 clenched their fist and pressed their knuckles into 

 the sand. It was curious to see to what a distance 

 the lion kept to the waggon-road, walking down the 

 middle of it as though it had been made for him. 

 I listened deferentially to Timboo and John St. Helena, 

 who were quite learned on the subject of tracking. 

 Except some ostriches scudding about, some crows, 

 lizards, and a few small birds, there was no otlier 

 sign of animal Life, but we saw spoors now and then 

 of the little steinbok, a very prettj^ gazelle some 

 sixteen inches high. 



