DAMAEA CHASED BY A LIONESS. 
73 
to the ground, and seizing a double-barrelled gun, 
which I always kept loaded for emergencies, I made 
towards the beast, intending to punish her for her 
audacity, when Hans imploringly begged me to 
desist. ce For,” said he, Ci if you do not shoot her 
dead on the spot, she will be down upon us in an 
instant.” 
Allowing myself to be guided by his advice, I 
refrained from firing, but, nevertheless, took up 
my position within about fifty paces of, and op¬ 
posite to, the lioness, as well to draw off her atten¬ 
tion from the men, and thus enable them to put 
the cattle and vehicles to rights, so as to be in readi¬ 
ness to give her a warm reception, should she 
think proper to charge. 
A short time before we were thus unceremoniously 
attacked, one of the draught oxen, which had 
always been very wild, managed to escape from the 
yoke, and a fleet-footed Damara was left behind to 
bring him on. In the midst of our confusion, we 
heard cries of distress and loud shouting behind us ; 
and, on looking round, we saw, to our horror, the 
lion in full chase both of the refractory ox and of the 
man, who was trying to keep off his fierce pursuer 
by violently waving the fire-brand which he carried 
in his hand.* Telling Hans to mind the lioness as 
well as he could in my absence, I immeditely ran 
to the rescue of the Damara and his charge; but, 
before I had proceeded far, the ox, catching sight 
* In the nights the Damaras invariably carry a fire-brand, which 
they hold close to their bodies, in order to shelter themselves, in 
some degree, from the wind and cold. 
