160 ADVENTURES IN SOUTH AFRICA. 



del of Seleka is situated. Here I viewed the surround- 

 ing country ; chains of mountains of moderate height 

 shot above the level forest in every direction, but mostly 

 to the east and south. 



The next day, after breakfast, I saddled up steeds and 

 took the field for elephants, accompanied by two after- 

 riders. We were soon joined by the greater part of the 

 Seleka tribe, and held about south, following the bank 

 of the River Lepalala, which we eventually crossed. 

 Having proceeded some distance through a tract but 

 little frequented by elephants, men who had been sent 

 to seek in a southwesterly direction came and reported 

 that they had found. We then held at once for a steep 

 and very rocky hill which rose abruptly in the forest, 

 and on the west side of which the elephants had been 

 seen. We had ascended about half way up this hill, 

 the natives following on ia a long string and detached 

 parties, when we discovered that we had nearly hem- 

 med in a huge and most daring old lion, with his part- 

 ner and a troop of very small cubs. I had passed him 

 within about sixty yards, and was a little above him 

 on the hill before I was aware of his presence. He 

 gave us notice of his proximity by loud and continued 

 growling, advancing boldly with open jaws toward the 

 natives. These fled before him ; and the lioness hav- 

 ing now shrunk away with her cubs, and some of our 

 dogs having attacked him, he turned right about and 

 followed slowly after his mate, growling fearfully. 



We feared that all this noise might have started the 

 elephants : when, however, we had gained a command- 

 ing point on the shoulder of the hill, we could see them 

 standing in a thick low forest a short distance from the 

 base of the hill : it was a troop of very middling cow 

 elephants, with a number of calves of all sizes. About 



