20 
AFRICAN HUNTING. 
very lives to scare the crocodiles, not unfrequently 
many of the middle ones swimming short distances, 
but not loosing their hold of one another for a mo¬ 
ment. The crocodiles seemed afraid to attack so large 
a body, though very far in the lake; the Kaffirs 
showed great courage, but they never ventured into 
deep water singly or in small numbers. 
On the following day, as it was too rough for sea- 
cows, we crossed the lake to have a day’s shooting in 
the bush opposite. After lunching on a wildebeest 
we shot, I left my knife behind, and Monies kindly 
returned with me to find it, foolishly leaving our guns 
behind ; he walked very fast, and was fifty yards ahead 
of me, when three lions walked leisurely out of a bush 
not ten yards in front of him. Monies, having 
drawn a huge clasp-knife, his only weapon, remained 
perfectly firm and collected, and eyed the lions for 
a few seconds, when they made off for the bush, 200 
yards away. Waited some hours for the wind to 
go down, and had hard work to get across. I thought 
we must have been swamped. The sea-cows were 
making up the river, and Arbuthnot stunned one with 
a ball, just touching the brain. We fired alternately, 
three of us putting sixteen bullets, seven to the pound, 
in different parts of her head before killing her. 
March 5 th .—Thunder and rain like a second 
deluge all night. Got up like drowned rats. I 
had my first attack of ague, and Gibson, seeing my 
teeth chattering in my head, and frightful convulsions, 
could stand it no longer, and bolted very wisely with 
