stood fixed, he merely moved his paw, and at the next instant, I
beheld two lying dead. In doing this, he made so little exertion,
that it was scarcely perceptible by what means they had been killed.
Of the time which we had gained by the interference of the dogs,
not a moment was lost; we fired upon him; one of the balls went
through his side just between the short ribs, and the blood immediately
began to flow; but the animal still remained standing in the same
position. We had now no doubt that he would spring upon us j
every gun was instantly reloaded; but happily we were mistaken, and
were not sorry to see him move quietly away; though I had hoped,
in a few minutes to have been enabled to take hold of his paw without
danger.
This was considered by our party to be a lion of the largest size,
and seemed, as I measured him by comparison with the dogs, to be,
though less bulky, as large as an ox. He was certainly as long in
body, though lower in stature; and his copious mane gave him a
truly formidable appearance. He was of that variety which the
Hottentots and boors distinguish by the name of the black lion, on
account of the blacker colour of the mane, and which is said to be
always larger and more dangerous than the other which they call the
pale lion, (vaal leeuw.) Of the courage of a lion, I have no very high
opinion, but of his majestic air and movement, as exhibited by this
animal, while at liberty in his native plains, I can bear testimony.
Notwithstanding the pain of a wound of which he must soon afterwards
have died, he moved slowly away with a stately and measured
step.
At the time when men first adopted the lion as the emblem of
courage, it would seem that they regarded great size and strength as
indicating it ; but they were greatly mistaken in the character they
have given to this indolent skulking animal, and have overlooked a
much better example of true courage, and of other virtues also, in the
bold and faithful dog.
As its skin could not have been brought away, all our oxen being
already overloaded, I did not think it worth while to pursue the beast
till we had killed it ; and judged it much wiser not to run the risk
of losing any of my men, especially for an object to which we were
led neither by necessity nor advantage.
After a march of above twelve miles, we arrived at the place
where the kanna lay : it was in the middle of a plain covered with
low scattered bushes. Here we found Speelman, who had remained
to guard the carcass and prevent its being devoured by vultures, of
which great numbers were discoverable hovering at an immense
height in the air, and sailing round in circles directly above the spot.
This place is distinguished therefore, upon the map, by the name of
Vulture Station.
We were soon afterwards joined by a party of natives, the greater
number of whom were women, removing with their oxen, sheep,
goats, and the materials of their huts, to Kaabi’s Kraal.
11 th. We had with us seventeen Bushmen, some of whom made
themselves useful in lending their assistance to cut up the eland-
meat, for which service they and the whole party were, as usual,
well paid in meat and tobacco.
At noon, when we began to pack up, we discovered that the
backs of some of the oxen, but more particularly of that which
carried my baggage, were become so sore, and galled by their
loads, that we found them unable to proceed. This inconvenience
was the more serious in its consequences, as it would, by travelling,
grow every day worse. In this dilemma, I despatched two of thè
Bushmen to my friend Kaabi, from whose kraal I supposed we were
not more than a day’s journey, to beg that he would lend me two of
his pack-oxen.
In the mean time I sent five of my men out hunting, that I might
be enabled to make him a handsome present of game. They were
not, however, successful, though the whole plain was covered with
the foot-marks of antelopes and other wild beasts which were seen
on all sides. Amongst these the lions made constant havoc ; and
at night the cries and moans of an eland, which we heard one of
them devouring close by our station, awoke me in the middle of
my sleep.
12th. In the morning, one of the Bushmen fetched away the
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