154 GNUS PURSUED BY A LION. 



base, and stretched along the plain to a considerable 

 extent, which mountain I named, after an esteemed 

 friend, Evans-Berg. 



On reaching an angle of this mountain, I observed 

 a herd of gnus at a distance to the right, and seizing 

 my gun, I endeavoured, by taking an oblique direc- 

 tion, to get within shot of them without their 

 observing me. On the approach of the waggon, 

 they started off towards me ; when, to my surprise, 

 I found they were pursued by a lion, which 

 seemed too intent upon the chase to be at all discon- 

 certed by my appearance ; and as I had no inclination 

 to dispute its prior claim, I left it master of the field, 

 making the best of my way back to the waggon, 

 which, by this time, had considerably advanced. On 

 gaining the waggon, I observed the herd of gnus 

 coming down with great speed towards it, as if their 

 course had been turned by the lion : they passed 

 immediately in front of our oxen; but, in conse- 

 quence of the clouds of dust raised by their rapid 

 flight, we could only perceive a few of the fore- 

 most, and were unable to tell whether the lion 

 followed in pursuit of them or not. The affrighted 

 animals seemed to seek the vicinity of our waggon 

 as a protection from their formidable enemy. Peat 

 kept cracking his whip in doubt, as he thought it 

 possible that the lion might have secreted himself in 

 a bush which lay in our track ; and on his remarking 

 it was a wonder that the oxen did not run away with 



