A LION HUNT. 217 



a ' leu we' and ' weife' in the morning ; how they 

 had approached and followed them as they slowly 

 moved away, frequently turning round and growling 

 at them, and how at last they entered and lay in a 

 rushy hollow. An hour's ride brought us to the 

 spot, very near the scene of the first day's find, and 

 as we approached, we saw the two Hottentots dis- 

 mounted, and waiting us on the opposite slope above 

 the hollow, in which they made signals that the lions 

 lay concealed by long green sedges and reeds. We 

 circled round to them, and ascertained that they had 

 not seen the animals for the last two hours and more, 

 but they pointed out the spot where they couched, 

 and were certain of their not having moved ; so we 

 descended on foot in a concave line to the edge of the 

 long rank grass and sedges, and shouted to try and 

 rouse her, Schumacher's bold companion advancing 

 to the front, and assailing the female with various 

 opprobrious epithets, to make her come out, while the 

 Hottentot servants, one and all, hung back in a re- 

 markable way, not liking an approach to an unseen 

 enemy. Indeed, we had great difficulty to prevent 

 them making shields of us, and in getting them not 

 to stand behind, but in the intervals, as we thought 

 ourselves in more danger of getting shot by them in 

 their trepidation, than of missing the lions if they 

 would come out. Out, however, they would not 

 come, and we slowly beat down the edge of the hol- 

 low, trying to get the old hound to range it, but after 



