CHAP. IS.] HANS AND A LION. 265 



most, then rhinoceroses, and lastly, lions. Areep, the 

 predecessor of Cornelius, as chief of his tribe, was 

 killed by a black rhinoceros. It is curious how many 

 people are wounded by lions, though not killed. A very 

 active Damara, who was some time with me in 

 Damara-land, but who stayed behind as I journeyed 

 up the country, was in a dreadfully mangled state 

 when I returned. He had found a lion in the act of 

 striking down his ox, and rushed at him with his 

 assegai : he gave him a wound that must have proved 

 mortal, for the assegai went far into his side ; but the 

 lion turned upon him, and seizing him, bit one elbow- 

 joint quite through, and continued worrying him mitil 

 some other Damaras ran up and killed the animal. 

 My servant, Hans, had a very narrow escape some time 

 since. He was riding old Frieschland (the most useful 

 ox I had, but now worn out by the Ondonga journey) 

 along the Swakop, when he saw something dusky by 

 the side of a camelthorn-tree, two hundred yards off. 

 This was a lion, that rose and walked towards him : 

 Hans had his gun in his gun-bag by the side of his 

 saddle, and rode on, for there is no use in provoking 

 hostilities single-handed with a lion, unless some object 

 has to be gained by it, as every sportsman at last 

 acknowledges. The coolest hand and the best shot 

 are never safe, for a bullet, however weU aimed, is not 

 certain to put the animal hors de combat. After the 

 lion had walked some twenty or thirty yards, Friesch- 

 land, the ox, either saw or smelt him, and became 

 furious. Hans had enough to do to keep his seat; for 

 a powerful long-horned ox tossing his head about and 



