avidity drank the liquid, which it contained; but this not being
sufficient, they also drank the blood; after which, they made a fife
on the spot, and broiled some of the meat. It was the smoke of this
fire which fortunately made their situation so soon known to the
Bushmen whom we sent in search of them, and who were thus very
opportunely and deservingly repaid for this friendly act, by receiving
the whole of the game; neither of my Hottentots having as yet
recovered strength enough to bring away more than the tongue and
two or three slices o f the flesh.
In the middle of. the night I was awakened by the roaring of ¡ a
lion; but the sound was peculiar, and very different from that which
the animal usually makes. I am assured by the inhabitants of these
countries, who have had opportunities of ascertaining the fact, that
he produces this noise by laying his head upon the ground and
uttering, as it were, a half-stifled roar, or growl, by which means
the sound is conveyed along the earth. It now seemed to us very
much to resemble that which we had heard in Cape Town at the
moment of the earthquake: it seemed also to have a progressive
movement, as if it came from the west. I-instantly sprang up, and
seeing that our fires were nearly out, called to the Hottentots to put
on a large quantity of fuel to make a blaze, for the purpose of keeping
the beasts at a distance, as they are said to be afraid of flame.
But though several of them were awake, they remained without attempting
to move, until I called out. As they had supposed it to be
really an earthquake, and knew that by sleeping in the open air,
there was nothing to fear if such had been the Case, they lay very
quietly wrapped up in their karosses, till I ordered them to make up
the fires. From the uneasiness of the oxen, two of which broke loose
from the bushes to which they had been made fast, and from other
circumstances, I was convinced that it was a lion; and at length
most of the people began to think the same as myself; but Speelman
persisted in declaring that it was only an earthquake, till, on examining
the ground the next morning, we found the animal’s footmarks
within fifty yards of the spot where we had been lying asleep. There
is little doubt that the beast’s intention was to have seized one of the
oxen; and as little, that the timely making up our fires prevented
him. His roaring, was intended to strike fear into the cattle and to
put them to flight; in which case, he would have pursued, and easily
have secured, his prey. It was his natural fear of man, which alone
withheld him from springing upon them at once, or even upon us, as
we lay quite exposed upon the bare ground; for we had, as I have
remarked, little or no fire burning at that time.
As far as I am enabled to judge, there is no region in any quarter
of the world, which can hold competition with Southern Africa in
number of large animals. It would be a novel and not uninstructive
mode of comparing the zoology of different countries, by noting
the aggregate weight of the wild animals of each country (meaning
one individual of each species) divided by the total number of species.
If a table of this kind were formed, I think there is little doubt that
Southern Africa would be found to stand at the head of it.
Although we are taught to believe that man is the supreme
animal of this globe ; and every thing we behold, even in civilized
countries, confirms that belief; yet still the mind can never derive
so perfect a conviction of this truth, as when viewing a country
in a state of nature, where men and multitudes of wild beasts
of every class* roam unrestrained, in all the freedom of'creation.
Can we view animals of immense bulk and strength, either flyin®
from man, or submitting to his domination and labouring in his immediate
service, without acknowledging at once that their timidity
or submission forms a part of that wise plan, predetermined by the
Deity, for giving supreme power to him who is physically the weakest
of them all ? or can we doubt that a part of that plan was, that man
should rule alone by the divine spirit of reason and superior intellect,
and, at his own option and freewill,. either by the exercise of these,
elevate himself above the rest of the animal creation, or by the
neglect),of them sink himself below the beasts? For man has
nought else of which to be proud, but reason and virtue: without
these he is still but mere animal, his existence is useless in the
great final cause of the universe, and he will surely have to
answer for his voluntary deficiencies in them, to that Aweful, Good
and Great, Power, who will know no other distinction among man