September.] JACKALS AND LIONS. 
307 
them near the waggons, as the natives say, when 
that kind of jackal is near, lions are not far off. 
Kok said the place abounded with lions, which 
made him unwilling to travel after sunset. 
September 1. No water being at the place 
where we halted, we proceeded at sunrise till we 
reached a river which runs in the rainy season, 
but afterwards settles into pools ; though white, 
from clay being mixed with it, the water is well 
tasted. Here Kok killed a large wild cat. This 
pool river (if we may use such an expression) 
runs into the Cradock a few miles distant. The 
bushes around were so diminutive that we could 
hardly obtain sufficient fuel to make the kettle 
boil. We went forward again at nine a. m., and 
soon observed the fresh footsteps of a large lion ; 
perhaps the noise of the jackals, the evening 
before, had a reference to his approach. The 
natives believe that when the lion is attacking a 
human being, the jackal aids the latter, and 
appears as if he would drive the lion away. 
This notion is very different from the vulgar idea 
that the jackal is the lion's provider. The truth 
is, he is the consumer of the flesh left by the lion. 
We continued ascending for about four hours, 
when we reached the summit, along which ran a 
chain of low hills, which seemed as if covered 
with the ruins of ancient castles. On arriving at 
X 2 
1 
