INTERIOR OF AFRICA. 2j,l 
very steep and rocky, and as my horse had hurt his feet much 
in coming from Bammakoo, he travelled slowly and with 
great difficulty ; for in many places the ascent was so sharp, 
and the declivities so great, that if he had made one false step, 
he must inevitably have been dashed to pieces. The shepherds 
being anxious to proceed, gave themselves little trouble about 
me or my horse, and kept walking on at a considerable dis- 
tance. It was about eleven o'clock, as I stopped to drink a 
little water at a rivulet (my companions being near a quarter 
of a mile before me), that I heard some people calling to each 
other, and presently a loud screaming, as from a person in great 
distress. I immediately conjectured that a lion had taken one 
of the shepherds, and mounted my horse to have a better view 
of what had happened. The noise, however, ceased ; and I rode 
slowly towards the place from whence I thought it had pro- 
ceeded, calling out ; but without receiving any answer. In a 
little time, however, I perceived one of the shepherds lying 
among the long grass near the road ; and though I could see no 
blood upon him, I concluded he was dead. But when I came 
close to him, he whispered to me to stop ; telling me that a 
party of armed men had seized upon his companion, and shot 
two arrows at himself, as he was making his escape. I stopped to 
consider what course to take, and looking round, saw at a little 
distance a man sitting upon the stump of a tree : I distinguished 
also the heads of six or seven more, sitting among the grass, 
with muskets in their hands. I had now no hopes of escaping, 
and therefore determined to ride forward towards them. As I 
approached them, I was in hopes they were elephant hunters ; 
I i 
