A STATION TO SIR JOHN'S LIKING.
So the Russian mathematician was found! When they asked him how he had
passed those four days, he could not tell; he thought the whole story
of the crocodiles was a joke, and did not believe it. He had not been
hungry; he had lived upon figures. Matthew Strux would not reproach his
countryman before his colleagues, but there was every reason to believe
that in private he gave him a severe reprimand.
The geodetic operations were now resumed, and went on as usual till the
28th of June, when they had measured the base of the 15th triangle,
which would conclude the second and commence the third degree of the
meridian. Here a physical difficulty arose. The country was so thickly
covered with underwood, that although the artificial signals could be
erected, they could not be discerned at any distance. One station was
recognized as available for an electric lamp. This was a mountain 1200
feet high, about thirty miles to the north-west. The choice of this
would make the sides of this triangle considerably longer than any
of the former, but it was at length determined to adopt it. Colonel
Everest, Emery, Zorn, three sailors, and two Bochjesmen, were appointed
to establish the lighted signal, the distance being too great to work
otherwise than at night.
The little troop, accompanied by mules laden with the instruments and
provisions, set off in the morning. The Colonel did not expect to reach
the base of the mountain till the following day, and however few might
be the difficulties of the ascent, the observers in the camp would not
see the lighted signal till the night of the 29th or 30th.
In the interval of waiting, Strux and Palander went to their usual
occupations, while Sir John and the bushman shot antelopes. They
found opportunity of hunting a giraffe, which is considered fine
sport. Coming across a herd of twenty, but so wild that they could not
approach within 500 yards, they succeeded in detaching a female from
the herd. The animal set off at first at a slow trot, allowing the
horsemen to gain upon her; but when she found them near, she twisted
her tail, and started at full speed. The hunters followed for about two
miles, when a ball from Sir John's rifle threw her on to her side, and
made her an easy victim.
In the course of the next night the two Russians took some altitudes
of the stars, which enabled them to determine the latitude of the
encampment. The following night was clear and dry, without moon and
stars, and the observers impatiently watched for the appearance of the
electric light. Strux, Palander, and Sir John relieved guard at the
telescope, but no light appeared. They concluded that the ascent of
the mountain had offered serious difficulty, and again postponed their
observations till the next night. Great, however, was their surprise,
when, about two o'clock in the afternoon, Colonel Everest and his
companions suddenly re-appeared in camp.
In answer to inquiries whether he had found the mountain inaccessible,
Colonel Everest replied that although in itself the mountain was
entirely accessible, it was so guarded that they had found it necessary
to come back for reinforcements.
"Do you mean," said Sir John, "that the natives were assembled in
force?"
"Yes, natives with four paws and black manes, who have eaten up one of
our horses."
The Colonel went on to say that the mountain was only to be approached
by a spur on the south-west side. In the narrow defile leading to
the spur a troop of lions had taken up their abode. These he had
endeavoured to dislodge, but, insufficiently armed, he was compelled to
beat a retreat, after losing one of his horses by a single blow of a
lion's paw.
The recital kindled the interest of Sir John and the bushman. Clearly
it was a station worth conquering, and an expedition was at once
arranged. All the Europeans, without exception, were eager to join, but
it was necessary that some should remain at the camp to measure the
angles at the base of the triangle, therefore the Colonel resolved to
stay behind with Strux and Palander, while Sir John, Emery, and Zorn
(to whose entreaties their chiefs had been obliged to yield), Mokoum,
and three natives on whose courage he could rely, made up the party for
the attack.
They started at four in the afternoon, and by nine were within
two miles of the mountain. Here they dismounted, and made their
arrangements for the night. No fire was kindled, Mokoum being unwilling
to provoke a nocturnal attack from the animals, which he wished to meet
by daylight.
Throughout the night the roar of the lions could almost incessantly be
heard. Not one of the hunters slept for so much as an hour, and Mokoum
took advantage of their wakefulness to give them some advice from his
own experience.
"From what Colonel Everest tells us," he said calmly, "these are
black-maned lions, the fiercest and most dangerous species of any. They
leap for a distance of sixteen to twenty paces, and I should advise you
to avoid their first bound. Should the first fail, they rarely take a
second. We will attack them as they re-enter their den at daybreak;
they are always less fierce when they are well filled. But they will
defend themselves well, for here, in this uninhabited district, they
are unusually ferocious. Measure your distance well before you fire;
let the animal approach, and take a sure aim near the shoulder. We
must leave our horses behind; the sight of a lion terrifies them, and
therefore the safety of their rider is imperilled. We must fight on
foot, and I rely on your calmness."
All listened with silent attention: Mokoum was now the patient hunter.
Although the lion seldom attacks a man without provocation, yet his
fury, when once aroused, is terrible; and therefore the bushman
enjoined composure on his companions, especially on Sir John, who was
often carried away by his boldness.
"Shoot at a lion," said Mokoum, "as calmly as if you were shooting a
partridge."
At four o'clock, only a few red streaks being visible in the far east,
the hunters tied up their horses securely and left their halting-place.
"Examine your guns, and be careful that your cartridges are in good
trim," continued Mokoum, to those who carried rifles; for the three
natives were armed otherwise, satisfied with their bows of aloe, which
already had rendered them good service.
The party, in a compact group, turned towards the defile, which had
been partially reconnoitred the evening before. They crept, like Red
Indians, silently between the trees, and soon reached the narrow gorge
which formed the entrance. Here, winding between piles of granite,
began the path leading to the first slopes of the spur. Midway the path
had been widened by a landslip, and here was the cave tenanted by the
lions.
It was then arranged that Sir John, one of the natives, and Mokoum,
should creep along the upper edge of the defile, with the intention of
driving out the animals to the lower extremity of the gorge. There the
two young Europeans and the other two Bochjesmen should be in ambush to
receive the fugitive beasts with shot and arrows.
No spot could be better adapted for the manœuvres. The forked branches
of a gigantic sycamore afforded a safe position, since lions do not
climb; and the hunters, perched at a considerable height, could escape
their bounds and aim at them under favourable conditions.
William Emery objected to the plan as being dangerous for Sir John and
the bushman, but the latter would hear of no modification, and Emery
reluctantly acquiesced.
Day now began to dawn, and the mountain-top was glowing in the sun.
Mokoum, after seeing his four companions installed in the sycamore,
started off with Sir John and the Bochjesman, and soon mounted the
devious path which lay on the right edge of the defile. Cautiously
examining their path, they continued to advance. In the event of the
lions having returned to their den and being at repose, it would be
possible to make short work of them.
After about a quarter of an hour the hunters, reaching the landslip
before the cave to which Zorn had directed them, crouched down and
examined the spot. It seemed a wide excavation, though at present they
could hardly estimate the size. The entrance was marked by piles of
bones and remains of animals, demonstrating, beyond doubt, that it was
the lions' retreat.
Contrary to the hunter's expectation, the cave seemed deserted. He
crept to the entrance and satisfied himself that it was really empty.
Calling his companions, who joined him immediately, he said,--
"Our game has not returned, Sir John, but it will not be long: I think
we had better install ourselves in its place. Better to be besieged
than besiegers, especially as we have an armed succour at hand. What do
you think?"
"I am at your orders, Mokoum," replied Sir John.
[Illustration: It was a deep Grotto, strewn with Bones and stained with
Blood.]
All three accordingly entered. It was a deep grotto, strewn with bones
and stained with blood. Repeating their scrutiny, lest they should be
mistaken as to the cave being empty, they hastened to barricade the
entrance by piling up stones, the intervening spaces being filled with
boughs and dry brushwood. This only occupied a few minutes, the
mouth of the cave being comparatively narrow. They then went behind
their loop-holes, and awaited their prey, which was not long in coming.
A lion and two lionesses approached within a hundred yards of the cave.
The lion, tossing his mane and sweeping the ground with his tail,
carried in his teeth an entire antelope, which he shook with as much
ease as a cat would a mouse. The two lionesses frisked along at his
side.
[Illustration: The Entrance to the Lion's Den.]
Sir John afterwards confessed that it was a moment of no little
trepidation; he felt his pulses beat fast, and was conscious of
something like fear; but he was soon himself again. His two companions
retained their composure undisturbed.
At the sight of the barricade, the beasts paused. They were within
sixty paces. With a harsh roar from the lion, they all three rushed
into a thicket on the right, a little below the spot where the hunters
had first stopped. Their tawny backs and gleaming eyes were distinctly
visible through the foliage.
"The partridges are there," whispered Sir John; "let us each take one."
"No," answered Mokoum softly, "the brood is not all here, and the
report of a gun would frighten the rest. Bochjesman, are you sure of
your arrow at this distance?"
"Yes, Mokoum," said the native.
"Then aim at the male's left flank, and pierce his heart."
The Bochjesman bent his bow, and the arrow whistled through the
brushwood. With a loud roar, the lion made a bound and fell. He lay
motionless, and his sharp teeth stood out in strong relief against his
blood-stained lips.
"Well done, Bochjesman!" said Mokoum.
At this moment the lionesses, leaving the thicket, flung themselves
on the lion's body. Attracted by their roar, two other lions and a
third lioness appeared round the corner of the defile. Bristling with
anger, they looked twice their ordinary size, and bounded forward with
terrific roars.
"Now for the rifles," cried the bushman, "we must shoot them on the
wing, since they will not perch."
[Illustration: A Ball from the Bushman arrested the Lioness.]
The bushman took deliberate aim, and one lion fell, as it were
paralyzed. The other, his paw broken by Sir John's bullet, rushed
towards the barricade, followed by the infuriated lionesses. Unless the
rifles could now be brought successfully to bear, the three animals
would succeed in entering their den. The hunters retired; their guns
were quickly re-loaded; two or three lucky shots, and all would be well;
but an unforeseen circumstance occurred which rendered the hunters'
situation to the last degree alarming.
All at once a dense smoke filled the cave. One of the wads, falling
on the dry brushwood, had set it alight, and soon a sheet of flames,
fanned by the wind, lay between the men and the beasts. The lions
recoiled, but the hunters would be suffocated if they remained where
they were. It was a terrible moment, but they dared not hesitate.
"Come out! come out!" cried Mokoum.
They pushed aside the brushwood with the butt ends of their guns,
knocked down the stones, and, half choked, leaped out of the cloud of
smoke.
The native and Sir John had hardly time to collect their senses when
they were both knocked over. The African, struck on the chest by one of
the lionesses, lay motionless on the ground; Sir John, who received a
blow from the tail of the other, thought his leg was broken, and fell
on his knees. But just as the animal turned upon him, a ball from the
bushman arrested her, and, meeting a bone, exploded in her body. At
this instant Zorn, Emery, and the two Bochjesmen appeared opportunely,
although unsummoned, hastening up the defile. Two lions and one lioness
were dead; but two lionesses and the lion with the broken paw were
still sufficiently formidable. The rifles, however, performed their
duty. A second lioness fell, struck in both head and flank. The third
lioness and the wounded lion bounded over the young men's heads, and
amid a last salute of balls and arrows disappeared round the corner of
the defile.
Sir John uttered a loud hurrah. The lions were conquered, four
carcasses measured the ground.
With his friend's assistance, Sir John was soon on his feet again; his
leg was not broken. The native soon recovered his consciousness, being
merely stunned by the blow from the animal's head. An hour later, the
little troop, without further trace of the fugitive couple, regained
the thicket where they had left their horses.
"Well," said Mokoum to Sir John, "I hope you like our African
partridges."
[Illustration: "Well," said Mokoum, "I hope you like our African
Partridges."]
"Delightful! delightful!" said Sir John, rubbing his leg, "but what
tails they have, to be sure!"