72 
THE LION. 
incident that occurred when Mr. Galton and myself 
were travelling in company in Damaraland. 
With the exception of resting an hour or two by 
the way, we had pushed on with the two waggons 
(each, as is usual in Africa, drawn by twelve 
oxen) during the night, when at day-break, and 
just as we had reached the Swakop river, we were 
suddenly startled by the most tremendous roaring 
of lions, which, evidently, were close at hand. In 
a few moments afterwards, two of those magnificent 
beasts—male and female—emerged from the bushes 
at about one hundred and fifty paces a-head of us. 
On perceiving the cavalcade, they gave another 
terrific roar, of so angry a nature as to cause the 
greatest consternation amongst the cattle. Those 
attached to the foremost waggon wheeled round 
instantaneously; and, before it was possible to 
prevent them, ran right into the midst of the after¬ 
most team, and I expected every moment to see 
the vehicles capsized or smashed to atoms. 
What with the bellowing of the oxen, the shout¬ 
ing and screaming of the men, the smashing and 
breaking of yokes, &c., and the continued roar of 
the lions, the scene was such as to baffle all de¬ 
scription. 
The lion, himself, after having approached very 
near to us, again retreated into the bushes; but 
the lioness seated herself quietly within less than a 
hundred yards of the waggons, growling most 
furiously. Throwing the reins over the saddle of 
4 Spring,’ who, by-the-bye, had nearly unseated 
me on the first appearance of the lions, I sprang 
