584 WILD SCENES AND WILD HUNTERS. 
lion retired a little and lay down. The Bushman seized the 
opportunity, picked up a few straws of dried grass and began 
to try to strike a light; but as soon as the lion heard the 
tapping of the flint and steel, it rose again and walked around 
the Bushman, brushing him as before; again the Bushman 
was still, and again the lion retired. The Bushman once 
more plied his flint and steel, and again the lion advanced 
from his retreat. At this moment the Bushman deed 
obtaining a light, but such was his terror that, forgetting 
himself, he continued blowing at it till it scorched his face. 
The lion made a stand when he saw the flame, and as this 
increased when the burning grass was dropped into a dry 
bush, the lion fled. The Bushman, who had been thus 
detained from noon to sunset, lost no time, when the lion 
was sufficiently far gone, in also making his retreat; he said 
he had never run so fast before, and when he reached his 
companions he was pale and sick with fright. ; 
These missionary stories most strikingly illustrate that 
mysterious power over “the beasts of the field’’ which is 
undoubtedly exercised by all beings, even though they be 
degraded Hottentots, who chance to bear the “upturned 
countenance” which was stamped upon the human race as 
a “sign of dominion.” Cumming gives a still more extraordi- 
nary relation of an incident of the same class which happened 
to himself. Although this has generally been set down as 
an apocryphal anecdote, yet I am, from my own experience 
of animals, if not for many, other reasons, disposed to believe 
it a real incident, and therefore give it as he tells it literally. 
Ruyter came towards me, and I ran forward to obtain a 
view beyond a slight rise in the ground to see whither the 
lioness had gone. In so doing I came suddenly upon them, 
within about seventy yards; they were standing: looking 
back at Ruyter. I then very rashly commenced making a 
rapia stalk in upon them, and fired at the nearest, having 
ouly one shot in my rifle. The ball told loudly, and the 
