234 ADVENTURES IN SOUTH AFRICA. 



into the reeds. The instant the lioness came on I stood 

 up to my full height, holding my rifle, and my arms 

 extended, and high above my head. This cheeked her 

 in her course; but on looking round and missing her 

 comrade, and observing Ruyter slowly advancing, she 

 was still more exasperated, and, fancying that she waa 

 being surrounded, she made ahotheir forward movement, 

 growling terribly. This was a moment of great danger. 

 I felt that my only chance of safety was extreme steadi- 

 ness ; so, standing motionless as a rock, with my eyes 

 firmly fixed upon her, I called out in a clear, command- 

 ing voice, "Holloa! old girl, what's the hurry? take it 

 easy ; holloa ! holloa !" She instantly once more halt- 

 ed, and seemed perplexed, looking round for her com- 

 rade. I then thought it prudent to beat a retreat, which 

 I very slowly did, talking to the lioness all the time. 

 She seemed undecided as to her future movements, and 

 was gazing after me- and snuffing the ground when I 

 last beheld her. 



The sun was under, and the terrific thunder which 

 burst around proclaimed a coming tempest : I therefore 

 deemed it safe to reach my camp with all possible speed, 

 and, having loaded my rifle, held thither at a sharp trot, 

 holding for the old wagon-drift to avoid having to pass 

 through the dense reeds. Before I reached the drift 

 two reitbuok dashed past me, one of which I shot and 

 bore to camp. On reaching camp the first move was to 

 refresh the person. Before, however, I could accomplish 

 this, the tempest was upon us ; it was one of the most 

 violent I had experienced for years, the wind blowing a 

 perfect hurricane, accompanied by rattling hailstones 

 and rain, which fell in such torrents as in a few min- 

 utes to convert the dry ground into a befitting habitation 

 for fish or water-fowl: the thunder and lightning wer« 



