Page:Lake Ngami.djvu/358

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350
A NIMROD—A LION'S SUPPER.

had shared many a hunting exploit with his friend Hans, and had made numerous lions bite the dust.

On one occasion, Jonathan was riding leisurely along, when suddenly, a short distance in advance of him, a fine lion rushed out of the bushes. Throwing himself quickly off the ox, he gave chase to the beast, calling out loudly, "Nay, stop a little. To-day we must, indeed, talk with each other." Whether the lion thought he could not escape, or that he considered his dignity concerned, I shall not presume to say; but, at all events, he stopped to look at his pursuer. No sooner, however, had he turned his head, than a well-directed ball entered one of his eyes, and laid him low in an instant.

After waiting at Rehoboth for about a week, I had the satisfaction to see my men and wagon arrive in safety. The cause of the delay had been the nature of the road, the greater part of which consisted of a succession of sand-ridges, as bad as those at Scheppmansdorf. The oxen were good, and more than sufficient to do the work; but, from want of yokes, they could only make use of twelve at a time.

The men had also been much plagued by lions. One fine moonlight night, just as they had unyoked at the base of a small sand-hill, one of these animals appeared immediately above. After having eyed them for a moment, he dashed in among the goats, and, before the men could get their guns in order, he was out of harm's way with one of the quadrupeds.

At another time, a lion made a rush at the cattle when at pasture, who fled precipitately into a defile, where, not finding an outlet, they faced about and confronted their fierce antagonist. The beast evidently dreaded the forest of bristling horns; for, after having paced to and fro at the entrance of the pass the best part of the night, keeping cattle and men in great tribulation by his savage growls, he slunk off toward morning.