was a sight we had never before seen during our whole journey;
and Philip immediately mounting the horse, took a circuit for the
purpose of cutting off the retreat of the nearest herd.
In the mean time we halted: this gave us an opportunity" of
noticing the footmarks of lions. Our Bushmen added their advice
to keep close watch over our cattle, as we were now entering a part
of the country where those formidable beasts were known to abound.
This fact might, without having seen the footmarks, or without incurring
much risk of being mistaken, have been inferred from the .
great numbers of wild animals just observed: for, where no game
is to be seen, there no lions are to be feared; since these, it is
evident, can live only in those parts of the country where they can
procure daily food. Travellers, therefore, who are obliged to depend
upon the chase for their support, will consider the dangers and inconvenience
of lions, to be more than counterbalanced by the advantage
of abundance of game.
Philip had pursued the antelopes far out of sight; we had waited
more than an hour, without seeing him return; and the sun fast
sinking to the horizon, warned us to look out for a place where
we could safely pass the night. We therefore proceeded a short distance
farther, in expectation of falling in with the river ; and having
met with it and crossed to the right bank, we soon found a convenient
station and unpacked the oxen. But we were not forgetful
of Riizo’s advice, and carefully made all our cattle fast to the bushes.
As soon as twilight began to advance, we heard the lions roaring
at a distance, and commencing their nightly prowl. Philip had
not yet returned, and our fears for his safety, as well as for that of
the horse, caused us much uneasiness. To direct him to the spot
where we had stationed ourselves, a large fire was made, and several
muskets were discharged. Guided, first by the sound of these, and
afterwards by the light, he at length found his way home; but
was considered by Linnseus and many naturalists, to be same as the Bubalts of the ancients,
which is an animal of Northern Africa; but some later writers distinguish it as a separate
snecieS, by the name of Antilope Caama . a distinction which I am more inclined to doubt,
than to adopt; until an actual collation of the two animals, shall decide the question.
although he had ridden into the midst of the herd and turned their
course, he had killed nothing; for it had happened that several times,
on attempting to shoot, his gun unluckily missed fire; which was
occasioned by the lock having been accidentally put out of order
during the chase.
In the early part of the night, the jackals at a little distance
were yelping around u s; and, although they might not have filled
the office of ‘ lion’s provider,’ vulgarly assigned to them, yet I had
no doubt of their having attentively performed the duties of clearing
their royal master’s table. To prevent him making his supper-room
in the midst of our oxen, we kept several fires burning all night.
11 th. In the morning we were visited by four Bushmen; t6
whom, according to my custom, I made a present of some tobacco.
In their way to us, they happened to pass by the spot where a lion
had last night been preying upon a quaklca : they found every part
of the oarcase devoured, excepting the feet, which they brought away
with them; these being all that the jackals had left, s
Although not absolutely in want of food, yet as the number of
my sheep was already much lessened, I resolved on giving up a day
for hunting. The men had not been out long before Philip shot a
qualcka. When this was brought home, it was so warmly praised by
my Hottentots, as being excellent meat, that I ordered a steak to
be broiled for my dinner. The novelty, and my own curiosity, must
have had some influence on this occasion, since I was induced to
consider it good and palatable. It was tender, and possessed a taste
which seemed to be between that of beef and mutton. I made
from it several meals : but this was the only time when I ate of
quakkas or zebras from pure choice; for, I confess, I could not, with
respect to these animals, resist altogether the misleading influence of
prejudice and habit; and allowed myself, merely because I viewed
this meat as horseflesh, to reject food which was really good and
wholesome. In this respect, the Hottentots are much wiser than
the Boors, who reject it for the same reason with myself, but who,
nevertheless hunt these animals for the use of their Hottentots and
slaves. On all subsequent occasions, when necessity compelled me
m 2