Chap. I. 
EAVAGES OF LIONS. 
11 
the Bechuanas ever knew, and this they thought might portend 
something as bad, or it might only foreshadow the death of 
some great clnef. On the subject of comets I knew little more 
than they did themselves, but I had that confidence in a kind 
over-ruling Providence wliich makes such a difference between 
Cliristians and both the ancient and modern heathen. 
As some of the Bamangwato people had accompanied me to 
Kuruman, I was obliged to restore them and their goods to their 
chief Sekomi. This made a journey to the residence of that 
chief again necessary, and, for the first time, I performed a dis¬ 
tance of some hundred miles on ox-back. 
Keturning towards Kuruman, I selected the beautiful valley 
of Mabotsa (lat. 25° 14' south, long. 26° 30' ?) as the site of a 
missionary station; and thither I removed in 1843. Here an 
occurrence took place concerning which I have frequently been 
questioned in England, and which, but for the importunities of 
friends, I meant to have kept in store to tell my cliildren when 
in my dotage. The Bakatla of the village Mabotsa were much 
troubled by lions, which leaped into the cattle-pens by night, 
and destroyed them cows. They even attacked the herds in open 
day. This was so unusual an occurrence that the people believed 
that they were bewitched—‘‘given,” as they said, “into the 
power of the lions by a neighbouring tribe.” They went once to 
attack the animals, but, being rather a cowardly people compared 
to Bechuanas in general on such occasions, they returned without 
killing any. 
It is well known that ff one in a troop of lions is killed the 
others take the hint and leave that part of the country. So the 
next time the herds were attacked, I went with the people, in 
order to encourage them to rid themselves of the annoyance by 
destroying one of the marauders. We found the lions on a small 
hill about a quarter of a mile in length, and covered with trees. 
A circle of men was formed round it, and they gradually closed 
up, ascending pretty near to each other. Being down below 
on the plain with a native schoolmaster, named Mebalwe, a most 
excellent man, I saw one of the lions sitting on a piece of rock 
within the now closed circle of men. Mebalwe fii’ed at him before 
I could, and the ball struck the rock on wliich the animal was 
sitting. He bit at the spot struck, as a dog does at a stick or stone 
