ADVENTURES WITH LIONS. 591 



was silent. We could discover no lights, and, amid the dark- 

 ness, were unable to trace footmarks to the pool. We let 

 loose our wearied oxen to drink and graze, but as we were 

 ignorant of the character of the company -with which we 

 might hare to spend the night, we took a firebrand, and 

 examined the edges of the pool to see, from the imprints, 

 what animals were in the habit of drinking there, and, with 

 terror, discovered many spoors of lions. We immediately 

 collected the oxen,. and brought them to the wagon, to which 

 we fastened them with the strongest thongs we had, having 

 discovered in their appearance something rather wild, indi- 

 cating that either from scent or sight, they knew danger was 

 near. The two Barolongs had brought a young cow with 

 them, and though I recommended their making her fast also, 

 they very humorously replied that she was too wise to leave 

 the wagon and oxen, even though a lion should be scented. 

 We took a little supper, which was followed by our evening 

 hymn, and prayer. I had retired only a few minutes to my 

 wagon to prepare for the night, when the whole of the oxen 

 started to their feet. 



A lion had seized the cow only a few steps from their tails, 

 and dragged it to the distance of thirty or forty yards, where 

 we distinctly heard it tearing the animal, and breaking the 

 bones, while its bellowings were most pitiful. When these 

 ■were over, I seized my gun, but as it was too dark to see any 

 object at half the distance, I aimed at the spot where the 

 devouring jaws of the lion were heard. I fired again and 

 again, to which he replied with tremendous roars, at the 

 same time making a rush towards the wagon, so as exceed- 

 ingly to terrify the oxen. The two Barolongs engaged to 

 take firebrands, advance a few yards, and throw them at him, 

 so as to afford me a degree of light, that I might take aim, 

 the place being bushy. They had scarcely discharged them 

 from their hands, when the flame went out, and the enraged 

 animal rushed towards them with such swiftness, that I had 



