76
Seven Years in South Africa.
of his alarm. While he was tightening the bullocks’ tethers, the roar of a lion, apparently close at hand, had put the animals into such a state of commotion, that two of them had got loose from the enclosure; and two others had so entangled Theunissen in the ropes, that he and they had all fallen together. It was undoubtedly due to Niger’s vigilance that the lion had retreated.
![STARTLED BY LIONS.](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/40/Seven_Years_in_South_Africa%2C_page_076%2C_startled_by_lions.jpg/450px-Seven_Years_in_South_Africa%2C_page_076%2C_startled_by_lions.jpg)
STARTLED BY LIONS.
Theunissen was fortunately unhurt; and, while we were releasing him from his critical position, the two bullocks that had escaped came back of their own accord. After seeing the whole of the oxen securely fastened to the waggon, I had five large fires lighted,