58 
THE LION. 
had some time previously carried off one of my 
friend’s people. 
These animals were very accurately described by 
the natives, who said that the smaller of them catered 
for the larger; and that this dariug monster had been 
known to enter a village and carry off no fewer than 
three individuals the same night, returning in the day¬ 
time to feast on the remains of the victims. They told 
my friend, moreover, that upwards of one hundred 
human beings had already fallen a prey to the beasts 
in question, adding ££ that the Bushmen, located in 
the neighbourhood, had been necessitated to fly 
the country in consequence of so many of their kith 
and kin having been killed by them.” 
££ A Bushman, whom we found in the vicinity, 
on our way northward,” Mr. Green further wrote, 
££ fully corroborated this statement; and on being 
interrogated as to whether there were any villages 
of his countrymen along the Omuramba to the east¬ 
ward, replied at once that they could not live 
there, as the lions destroyed so many of them.” 
The Damaras, moreover, when speaking of these 
formidable foes always said, ££ Those lions! the 
smaller alone killing the people, are known through¬ 
out all this region, pointing at the same time to the 
north, south, east, and west, and are the dread of 
every one.” 
C£ Now it was the lesser of the £ man-eaters,’ ” 
my friend went on to say, ££ of which I had so 
happily rid the country, and I consequently felt 
more pleased than if I had killed the largest bull- 
elephant that roams the wastes of Africa. I had 
