244 
AFRICA AND ITS EXPLORATION. 
came and prowled about under the tree, lier eyes 
gleaming with a pale yellow light, as Hiibner described 
it. At last they all went down into the water and 
disappeared in the bush, the hungry lioness going last 
of all. 
We soon made ready for the night, that is to say, we 
flung up a hedge of branches and brambles, and the 
beasts of prey began their usual concert, but our fire 
kept them at a respectful distance. 
I passed the night of the 23rd July in a tree near 
the drinking-place, and watched for lions; and to 
increase my chances of success I sent the waggons on 
a quarter of a mile. Nothing appeared, however, but 
jackals and hyaenas. It was a beautiful moonlight 
night, the quiet was intense, the scenery looked lovely, 
but the hours seemed endless, and about two hours 
before daybreak it became very cold. Tired of 
watching, I tied myself to the stem of the tree with a 
strap I had brought with me, laid my head back, and 
went to sleep. 
I awoke, feeling very cold about the head, and saw 
my cap lying on the ground. The sun was already ten 
degrees above the horizon, and I could hear the voices 
of my people in the distance, so I let my gun down by 
a string, and followed it myself. 
I had hardly gone fifty steps when a lion came 
out of the jungle on the left, and pausing abruptly, 
glared at me for a moment ; it was immediately 
joined by another. We gazed at each other as if 
petrified for a few seconds, then the animals turned 
tail, and I quietly went on my way ; for, surprised as 
I was, I had no inclination to become the aggressive 
party. 
The black-maned lion of South Africa seldom attacks 
men by daylight, especially in districts where there are 
plenty of large wild animals. But for this peculiarity, 
many more accidents would happen. Wandering 
Kaffirs and elephant hunters, when overtaken by the 
darkness, just light a fire and feel perfectly safe. 
In uninhabited districts the king of the beasts does 
