GUMPO AND THE LIONESS 
363 
in the heavens, which showed the near approach of the rainy 
season, and, for the first time since leaving Panda Matenga in 
June, we found it necessary to erect the tent for shelter against 
rain. 
November 28th was notable to us for camping at the Haarde 
Kol Boom, a landmark on the route, and next day, some ten 
miles ahead, we passed a large open flat where springbok are 
reported to exist. Spite of a search we saw nothing of these, but 
I managed to kill a couple of steenbok at the edge of the forest 
bordering the flat. On the 30th November we reached a large 
pan crowded with spur-winged geese and ducks, against whom 
Hammar particularly levelled his attentions together with the 
double choke, and made a very good bag. 
Near this pan lived a small chief called Gumpo, who had 
a disagreeable experience with a lion, likely to have cost him 
his life but for the intervention of a white man who happened 
to be camped there at the time. 
The cattle were grazing on the open flat near the euge of 
the forest, when the herd came running in with the information 
that a lioness was stalking them in the open daylight, and had 
just hidden herself in a little round bush that stood isolated in 
the flat. Gumpo and two of his men were conversing with the 
white man at the moment, and no sooner heard the news than 
they begged for guns with which to shoot the lioness, who was the 
pest of that neighbourhood. On receiving the guns the three 
of them ran off* hardly giving the white man time to snatch up 
his own gun and follow them. Regardless of the shouts he gave 
for them to go slower, so as to keep their wind for steady 
shooting, they ran on, followed by the white man, until they 
came to within eighty yards of the bush, running abreast of 
each other, as if the killing of the lion depended on the rush 
they made, when she charged out like a streak at them without 
uttering a sound. Gumpo, who was on the right, and his two 
companions hurriedly fired as she came on, and of course missed 
in their excitement. On she came, snapping at the air in 
her strides, and sprang on to Gumpo, whom she knocked over 
