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 'Spring,' who, by-the-bye, had nearly unseated me on the first appearance of the lions, I sprang
DAMARA CHASED BY A LIONESS.
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. "For," said he, " 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, tho 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 immediately 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.
THE LION.
of the remainder of the herd, made a successful dash right across the lion's path, and fortunately rejoined us in safety. The object of the lion was clearly more the beast than the man ; for, upon find- ing himself thus suddenly baffled, lie stopped short, and, with a savage look at us, and an angry growl, bounded out of sight as quick as thought; and by the time I returned to the waggons, the lioness had thought fit to follow her lord's example. Thus, almost without any effort on our side, we were providentially saved from this most extraordinary and dangerous attack.
At the first appearance of the lions, the men took refuge in the waggons, and, long after the danger was over, they trembled violently from fear and apprehension.
As a general rule, a lion, unless previously molested, will seldom attack an ox in the yoke, or when attended by man, but long abstinence makes him desperate.
After considerable trouble and difficulty, wo succeeded in re-arranging the oxen, which had become excessively scared. Two or three hours' further travelling brought us, without other mishap, safe to Richterfeldt, where our hair-breadth escape was listened to with the deepest interest.
CHAPTER V.
INFLUENCE OF THE HUMAN EYE UPON THE LION—DIEDRICH MüLLER—GERT SCHEPER'S ENCOUNTER WITH A LION MOF- FATT POWER OF THE HUMAN VOICE OVER THE MONARCH OF BEASTS—THE ALGERIAN ARABS—GORDON CUMMING IN DANGER —THE LION AFRAID OF RUSES— CUNNING OF THE LION— ILLUS- TRATIONS FROM GREEN, CUMMING, MOFFATT.
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