120 
THE LION. 
of the kraal, came down and killed my riding-horse 
about a hundred yards from the door of my cabin. 
Knowing that when he does not carry off his prey, 
he usually conceals himself in the vicinity, and is, 
moreover, very apt to be dangerously prowling about 
the place in search of more game, I resolved to have 
him destroyed, or dislodged, without delay. I there¬ 
fore sent a messenger round the location, to invite 
all who were willing to assist in the foray, to repair 
to the place of rendezvous as speedily as possible. 
“ In an hour, every man of the party, with the ex¬ 
ception of two pluckless fellows, who were kept at 
home by the women, appeared ready mounted and 
armed. We were also reinforced by about a dozen 
of the bastard Hottentots, who resided at that time 
upon our territory as tenants or herdsmen ; an 
active and enterprising, though rather an unsteady 
race of men. 
e£ The first point was to track the lion to his 
covert. This was effected by a few of the Hottentots 
on foot, commencing from the spot where the 
horse was killed. They followed the spoor through 
grass and gravel, and brushwood, with astonishing 
care and dexterity, where an inexperienced eye 
could discern neither foot-print nor mark of any 
kind, until, at length, we fairly tracked him into a 
large c bosch ,’ or straggling thicket of brushwood 
and evergreens, about a mile distant. 
“ The next object was to drive him out of this 
retreat, in order to attack him in a close phalanx, 
with more safety and effect. The approved mode, 
in such cases, is to torment him with dogs till he 
