32 SECOND ATTEMPT. [chap. ii. 



from the wind, and are certainly sensible of protection. 

 Besides this the ox is a sociable domestic animal, and 

 loves fires and the neighbourhood of men. The oxen, 

 therefore, lay close up to the doorway of the outhouse 

 in wliich I slept, and the night was pitch dark. Now, 

 after we had all gone to bed and were fast asleep, 

 there was a rush and an outcry, and people hallooing 

 and dogs barking, for the lion had got into the midst 

 of the oxen. I confess I was glad there was a door 

 to my outhouse, for fear the lion should walk in ; 

 however, all became quiet, and I soon went to sleep 

 again. 



A grand hunt was determined on in the morning ; 

 every available native was pressed into the service. 

 Mr. Bam rode one horse, I the other, and Stewartson 

 his ox. Johannis, Captain Frederick, and some other 

 Hottentots, came mounted on their oxen, and we 

 went off after breakfast with as many cur dogs as 

 would follow us. The proceedings were much the 

 same as before. After eight miles his spoor went 

 into a bush ; we threw stones in and shouted, and up 

 he got about one hundred yards off. I purposely 

 did not fire, as my horse was in a bad position for 

 me to take as good an aim as I wished, and nobody 

 else fired either ; but we galloped after him in full 

 view, the object being to bring him to bay, or to get a 

 nearer shot as he ran. This last I hardly expected 

 whilst he was moving, for my horses were not accus- 

 tomed to be shot from, and it took so much time to 

 pull them up, that the lion had gained a long start 

 again before I could do so. Tlie bushes were in his 



