Having filled their water-kegs, the next morning at daylight they yoked
the oxen and left the banks of the Cradock or Black River, to proceed
more to the northward, through the Bushmen's country; but as they were
aware that there was no water to be procured, if they quitted the stream
altogether, till they arrived at the Vaal or Yellow River, they decided
upon following the course of the Black River to the westward for some
time, before they struck off for the Vaal or Yellow River, near to which
they expected to fall in with plenty of game, and particularly the
giraffe and rhinoceros.
Although at that season of the year the river was nearly dry, still
there was a scanty herbage on and near its bank, intermixed with beds of
rushes and high reeds; this was sufficient for the pasture of the
cattle, but it was infested with lions and other animals, which at the
dry season of the year kept near the river-bank for a supply of water.
By noon they had proceeded about fifteen miles to the westward, and as
they advanced they found that the supply of water in the river was more
abundant; they then unyoked the cattle to allow them to feed till the
evening, for it was too dangerous to turn them loose at night. As they
were in no hurry, they resolved that they would only travel for the
future from daylight till noon; the afternoon and evening were to be
spent in hunting, and at night they were to halt the caravan and secure
everything as before, by enclosing the horses and sheep, and tying up
the oxen.
By this arrangement the cattle would not be exhausted with their labour,
and they would have time to follow the object of their journey--that of
hunting the wild animals with which the country abounded, and also of
procuring a constant supply of food for themselves and their attendants.
Having now travelled as far as they wished, they stopped at the foot of
a rising ground, about a quarter of a mile from the river's bank, and
which was on the outskirts of a large clump of mimosa and other trees.
As soon as the cattle were unyoked and had gone down to the river to
drink, our travellers ordered their horses to be saddled, and as the
banks of the river on that side were low, they rode up to the rising
ground to view the country beyond, and ascertain what game might be in
sight.
When they arrived at the summit, and were threading their way through
the trees, Omrah pointed to a broken branch, and said, "Elephant here
not long ago."
Bremen said that Omrah was right, and that the animals could not have
left more than a week, and that probably they had followed the course of
the stream. The print of another foot was observed by Omrah, and he
pointed it out; but not knowing the name to give the animal in English
or Dutch, he imitated its motions.
"Does he mean a gnoo?" said Alexander.
Omrah shook his head, and, raising his hands up, motioned that the
animal was twice as big.
"Come here, Bremen; what print of a hoof is this?" said Swinton.
"Buffalo, sir,--fresh print--was here last night."
"That's an animal that I am anxious to slay," said the Major.
"You must be very careful that he does not slay you," replied Swinton;
"for it is a most dangerous beast, almost as much so as a lion."
"Well, we must not return without one, at all events," said Alexander;
"nor without a lion also, as soon as we can find one alone; but those we
have seen in the daytime have always been in threes and fours, and I
think the odds too great with our party; but the first single lion we
fall in with, I vote we try for his skin."
"Agreed," replied the Major; "what do you say, Swinton?"
"Why, I say agreed also; but as I came here to look for other things
rather than lions, I should say, as far as I am concerned, that the best
part of valour would be discretion. However, depend upon it, if you go
after a lion I shall be with you: I have often been at the destruction
of them when with Dutch boors; but then recollect we have no horses to
spare, and therefore we must not exactly follow their method."
"How do they hunt the lions, then?" inquired Alexander.
"They hunt them more for self-defence than for pleasure," replied
Swinton; "but on the outskirts of the colony the lions are so
destructive to the herds, that the colonists must destroy them. They
generally go out ten or twelve of them with their long guns, not fewer
if possible; and you must recollect that these boors are not only very
cool, brave men, but most excellent shots. I fear you will not find
that number among our present party, as, with the exception of our three
selves and Bremen and Swanevelt, I do not believe that there is one man
here who would face a lion; so that when we do attack one, it will be at
a disadvantage.
"The Dutch boors, as soon as they have ascertained where the lion lies,
approach the bushes to within a moderate distance, and then alighting,
they make all their horses fast together with their bridles and halters.
In this there is danger, as sometimes the lion will spring out upon
them at once, and, if so, probably not only horses but men are
sacrificed. If the lion remains quiet, which is usually the case, they
advance towards him within thirty paces or thereabouts, as they know
that he generally makes a spring at half that distance; but as they
advance, they back their horses towards him, as a shield in front of
them, knowing that the lion will spring upon the horses.
"As they move forward, the lion at first looks at them very calmly, and
very often wags his tail as if in a playful humour; but when they
approach nearer, he growls, as if to warn them off. Then, as they
continue to approach, he gradually draws up his hind-legs under his
body, ready for a spring at them as soon as they are within distance,
and you see nothing of him except his bristling mane and his eyes
glaring like fire; for he is then fully enraged, and in the act of
springing the next moment.
"This is the critical moment, and the signal is given for half the party
to fire. If they are not successful in laying him dead on the spot with
this first volley, he springs like a thunderbolt upon the horses. The
remainder of the party then fire, and seldom fail to put an end to him
but generally one or more of the horses are either killed or so wounded
as to be destroyed in consequence; and sometimes, although rarely, one
or more of the hunters share the same fate. So you observe that, with
every advantage, it is a service of danger, and therefore should not be
undertaken without due precaution."
"Very true, Swinton; but it will never do to return to the Cape without
having killed a lion."
"As you please; but even that would be better than being killed yourself
by a lion, and not returning at all. However, my opinion is that you
will have to kill a lion before you have travelled much further, without
going in quest of him. There are hundreds of them here; as many as
there are in Namaqua-land."
"Look, master!" said Bremen, pointing to seven or eight splendid
antelopes about a mile distant.
"I see," replied the Major. "What are they?"
"Gemsbok," said Swinton. "Now I will thank you for a specimen of that
beautiful creature, if you can get it for me. We must dismount, leave
our horses here, and crawl along from tree to tree, and bush to bush,
till we get within shot."
"They are, indeed, noble animals. Look at that large male, which
appears to be the leader and master of the herd. What splendid horns!"
cried Alexander.
"Give the horses to Omrah and Swanevelt. Bremen shall go with us.
Hist; not a word; they are looking in this direction," said the Major.
"Recollect to try for the large male. I want him most particularly,"
said Swinton.
"Master," said Bremen, "we must creep till we get those bushes between
us and the game. Then we can crawl through the bushes and get a good
shot."
"Yes, that will be the best plan," said Swinton. "As softly as we can,
for they are very shy animals."
They followed one another for two or three hundred yards, creeping from
one covert to another till they had placed the bushes on the plain
between them and the herd. They then stopped a little and reconnoitred.
The herd of antelopes had left off feeding, and now had all their heads
turned towards the bushes, and in the direction where they were
concealed; the large male rather in advance of the others, with his long
horns pointing forward, and his nose close to the ground. Our party
kept silence for some time, watching the animals; but none of them moved
much from their positions; and as for the male, he remained as if he
were a statue.
"They must have scented us," whispered Alexander.
"No, sir," said Bremen; "the wind blows from them to us. I can't think
what they are about. But perhaps they may have seen us."
"At all events, we shall gain nothing by remaining here; we shall be
more concealed as we descend and approach them," observed the Major.
"That is true; so come along. Creep like mice," said Swinton.
They did so, and at last arrived at the patch of brushwood which was
between them and the antelopes, and were now peeping and creeping to
find out an opening to fire through, when they heard a rustling within.
Bremen touched the sleeve of the Major and beckoned a retreat, and
motioned to the others; but before they could decide, as they did not
know why the Hottentot proposed it, for he did not speak himself, and
put his hand to his mouth as a hint to them to be silent, a roar like
thunder came from the bushes, within three yards of them, accompanied
with a rushing noise which could not be mistaken. It was the roar and
spring of a lion; and they looked round amazed and stunned, to ascertain
who was the victim.
"Merciful Heaven!" exclaimed Alexander, "and no one hurt!"
"No, master; lion spring at antelope. Now we shall find him on other
side of the bush, and kill him easy, when his eyes are shut."
Bremen led the way round the copse, followed by our travellers; they
soon arrived on the other side of it, with their guns all ready; but on
their arrival, to their astonishment, they perceived the lion and the
male gemsbok lying together. The antelope was dead, but the lion still
alive; though the horns of the gemsbok had passed through his body. At
the sight of the hunters, the lion, pierced through as he was, raised
his head with a loud roar, and struck out with his paw, as he twisted
towards them, his eyes glaring like hot coals, and showing his
tremendous fangs. Alexander was the first who fired, and the ball
penetrating the brain of the noble animal, it fell down dead upon the
body of the antelope.
"This is the finest sight I ever witnessed," observed Swinton. "I have
heard that the gemsboks' horns are sometimes fatal to the lion, but I
could hardly credit it. They have passed nearly through his body; the
points are under the skin."
"Now we know, master, why gemsbok have his nose to the ground and his
horn pointed," said Bremen; "he saw the lion, and fought him to save his
herd."
"I am quite stunned yet," observed Alexander. "What a noble animal it
is! Well, at all events, I can say that I have shot a lion, which is
more than you can, Major."
"I only wish that when I shoot one I may have no more danger to incur,"
replied the Major. "What a different idea does one have of a lion in a
menagerie and one in its free and native state. Why, the menagerie
lions can't roar at all; they are nothing but over grown cats, compared
to the lion of the desert."
"That is very true," observed Swinton; "however, I am delighted, for now
I have not only my gemsbok, which is a gem above price, but also as fine
a lion as I have ever seen. I should like to have them stuffed and set
up just as they were before Alexander killed them. His rage and agony
combined were most magnificent. After all, the lion is the king of the
beasts. Bremen, send Swanevelt to the caravan for some of the men. I
must have both skin and skeleton of the antelope, and the skin of the
lion."
Our travellers were quite satisfied with the sport of the day, and after
waiting for some time, while the Hottentots disentangled the animals and
took off the skins, they returned to the caravan, Omrah having secured a
portion of the flesh of the gemsbok for their supper.
As they were returning, they observed a herd of buffaloes at a great
distance, and proposed to themselves the hunting of them after they had
halted on the following day, if the animals were at any reasonable
distance from them. At supper the flesh of the antelope was pronounced
better than that of the gnoo; and after supper, as soon as the cattle
had been all secured, and the fires lighted, Alexander proposed that
Swinton should finish his history of Africaner.
"If I remember right, I left off where Africaner and his people had
escaped to Namaqua-land, where he became a chief. Attempts were made to
take him prisoner and bring him to the colony, but without success.
Expedition after expedition failed, and Africaner dared them to approach
his territories. At last, the colonists had recourse to the Griquas,
and offered them large rewards if they would bring Africaner in.
"The Griquas, commanded by a celebrated chief, of the name of Berend,
made several attempts, and in consequence a cruel war was carried on
between Berend and Africaner, in which neither party gained the
advantage. Africaner, discovering that the colonists had bribed Berend
to make war against him, now turned his wrath against them. A Dutch
boor fell a victim to his fury, and he carried off large quantities of
their cattle, and eventually Africaner became the terror of the colony.
The natives also who resided in Namaqua-land commenced depredations upon
Africaner, but he repaid them with such interest that at last every
tribe fled at his approach, and his name carried dismay into their
solitary wastes. The courage and intrepidity shown by Africaner and his
brothers in their various combats were most remarkable; but to narrate
all his adventures would occupy too much time. It is certain that he
not only became dreaded, but in consequence of his forbearance on
several occasions he was respected.
"It was in 1810 that the missionaries came into the Namaqua-land, and it
unfortunately happened that a dispute arose about some of Africaner's
property which was seized, and at the same time Africaner lost some
cattle. The parties who were at variance with Africaner lived near to
the Mission station, and very unwisely the people at the Mission station
were permitted to go to their assistance.
"This roused the anger of Africaner, who vowed vengeance on the Mission
and the people collected around it or connected with it. As Africaner
had commenced his attacks upon the Namaquas, and was advancing towards
the Mission, the missionaries were compelled to abandon the station and
return to the colony. The Mission station was soon afterwards taken
possession of by Africaner, and the houses burnt to the ground.
"A curious circumstance occurred during this affair: his followers were
seeking everywhere for plunder, when some of them entered the
burial-ground, and one of them, treading on an apparently new-made
grave, was astonished by soft notes of music proceeding from the ground
beneath.
"Superstitious as the natives are, and having most of them, in former
days, heard something of the Christian doctrines, they started and stood
transfixed with astonishment, expecting the dead to arise, as they had
been once told. One of them mustered courage to put his foot again upon
the spot, and the reply was soft and musical as before. Away they all
started to Africaner, to inform him that there was life and music in the
grave.
"The chief, who feared neither the living nor the dead, went to the
burial-ground with his men, and jumped upon the spot, which immediately
gave out the soft notes as before. Africaner ordered an immediate
exhumation, when the source of the mystery proved to be the pianoforte
of the missionary's wife, which, being too cumbrous an article to take
away, had been buried there, with the hope of being one day able to
recover it. Never having seen such an instrument before, Africaner had
it dissected for the sake of the brass wires; and thus the piano was
destroyed."
"I doubt if it would ever have been dug up in Caffre-land," observed
Alexander.
"I am convinced it never would have been, but have remained as a wonder
and object of fear as long as it held together," replied Swinton; "but
to proceed:--
"The Mission station having been for some time broken up by this attack
of Africaner, Mr C, a missionary, anxious to restore it, wrote a letter
to Africaner on the subject, and received a favourable reply, and a Mr
E was sent to the residence of Africaner himself. After a short time,
Africaner and his two brothers, with a number of others, were baptised.
"At first it must be admitted that their profession of Christianity did
not greatly improve their conduct; but this was very much to be ascribed
to the circumstance, that the duties of the station had devolved upon
one who ought not to have been selected for the task. Upon his removal,
and a more fitting minister of the Gospel taking his place, a great
change was soon observable in Africaner; and, from having been one of
the most remorseless pursuers of his vengeance--a firebrand spreading
discord, war, and animosity among the neighbouring tribes--he would now
make every concession and any sacrifice to prevent collision and
bloodshed between contending parties.
"Although his power was so great that he might have raised his arm and
dared them to lift a spear or draw a bow, he would entreat them as a
suppliant to be reconciled.
"`Look at me,' he would say, `how many battles have I fought; how much
cattle have I taken; but what has it done for me, but make me full of
shame and sorrow?'"
"In short, from that time till he died, he became a peacemaker and a
Christian, both in word and deed. His whole life was devoted to acts of
kindness and charity--to instructing and exhorting, and following the
precepts of Him in whose faith eventually he lived and died."
"Well, Swinton, you have indeed given us a remarkable proof that the
missionary labours are not always thrown away, and we thank you for your
compliance with our request."
"It is a remarkable instance, if you only consider how many hundreds of
lives might have been sacrificed, if Africaner had continued his career
of slaughter and of plunder; and how many lives, I may add, have been
also saved by his interference as a peacemaker, instead of being, as he
formerly was, a promoter of war and bloodshed."
"Swinton," said Alexander, "I wanted to ask you a question which I had
nearly forgotten. Do you recollect what Bremen said to us, that the
lion had seized the gemsbok, and that now the lion would shut his eyes,
and that he would shoot him?"
"Yes, I do; and he was correct in what he stated, for I have witnessed
it myself. When a lion seizes a large animal like an ox or horse, or
the animal he fell a martyr to this afternoon, he springs upon it,
seizes it by the throat with his terrible fangs, and holds it down with
his paws till it expires. From the moment the lion seizes his prey, he
shuts his eyes, and never opens them again until the life of his prey is
extinct. I remember a Hottentot, when a lion had seized an ox in this
way, running up to him with his gun and firing within a few yards'
distance. The lion, however, did not deign to notice the report of the
gun, but continued to hold fast his prey. The Hottentot loaded again,
fired, and again missed; reloaded again, and then shot the lion through
the head."
"How very strange!"
"It is, and I cannot give any reason for it; but that it is so, I well
know to be a fact. Perhaps it may be that the animal, after long
fasting, is quite absorbed with the grateful taste of the blood flowing
into his mouth, while the animal is writhing under his clutches. But
there are many singular points about the lion, which is a much more
noble and intelligent animal than most people have any idea of; I have
collected a number of facts relative to his majesty which would surprise
you. The Bushmen know the animal and his habits so well, that they
seldom come to any accident from their inhabiting a country in which I
really believe the population of lions exceeds that of Bushmen."
"Is it true that the lion, as well as other animals, is afraid of the
eye of man?" said the Major; "can you reply to that question?"
"Yes, I can," answered Swinton; "I was about to say that he is and is
not, but a better answer will be to give you what has come to my
knowledge: I consider that the lion is a much more dangerous animal in
this country, and indeed in any other where there are no fire-arms, than
where the occupants are possessed of them.
"It may appear strange, but it is my fixed opinion, that the lion has an
idea of the deadly nature of fire-arms, and that he becomes in
consequence more afraid of man. You remember a story I told you of a
lion watching a man for two days without destroying him, but never
permitting him to lay hold of his gun. Now it is satisfactorily proved
that a lion will pass a man who has a gun in his hand without attacking
him, provided that he does not attempt to level the gun; but the moment
that he does he will spring upon him.
"An instance of that occurred to the great lion-hunter Diedrich Muller,
who mentioned it to me. He had been alone hunting in the wilds, when he
came suddenly upon a large lion, which, instead of giving way as they
usually do, seemed disposed, from the angry attitude which he assumed,
to dispute his progress.
"Muller instantly alighted, and, confident of his unerring aim, levelled
his gun at the forehead of the lion, which had crouched in the act to
spring, within sixteen paces of him; but as he fired, his horse, whose
bridle was round his arm, started back, and, jerking him aside, caused
him to miss; the lion bounded forward, but stopped within a few paces,
confronting Muller, who stood defenceless, as his gun was discharged,
and his horse had galloped off.
"The man and the beast stood looking each other in the face for a short
time. At length the lion moved backward, as if to go away. Muller
began loading his gun; the lion looked over his shoulder, growled, and
immediately returned to his former position within a few paces of
Muller. Muller stood still, with his eyes fixed on the animal. The
lion again moved cautiously off; when he was at a certain distance,
Muller proceeded to ram down his bullet. The lion again looked back and
growled angrily. Muller again was quiet, and the animal continued
turning and growling as it moved off, till at last it bounded away."
"You imagine, then, that the lion is aware of the fatal effects of
fire-arms?" said the Major.
"It would appear so, not only on account of their being so angry if
presented at them, or being touched even when they are close to them,
but also from the greater respect the lion pays to man where fire-arms
are in use. The respect that he pays to men in the colony is not a
general custom of the animal.
"As I said before, the lion is more dangerous in this Bushman country;
because, in the first place, his awe of man has been removed, from his
invariably successful rencontres with those who have no weapons of force
with which to oppose him; and, secondly, because he has but too often
tasted human flesh, after which a lion becomes more partial to it than
any other food.
"It is asserted, that when a lion has once succeeded in snatching some
unfortunate Bushman from his cave, he never fails to return regularly
every night, in hopes of another meal, until the horde is so harassed
that they are compelled to seek some other shelter. From apprehension
of such attacks, it is also asserted that the Bushmen are in the habit
of placing their aged and infirm people at the entrance of the cave
during the night, that, should the lion come, the least valuable and
most useless of their community may first fall a prey to the animal."
"Of course, if permitted to help himself in that way, the lion cannot
have much fear of man," observed Wilmot; "and his lurking abroad in the
night takes away much from the nobleness of disposition which you are
inclined to attribute to him."
"By no means," continued Swinton. "That a lion generally lurks and lies
in wait to seize his prey is certain, but this is the general
characteristic of the feline tribe, of which he may be considered as the
head; and it is for this mode of hunting that nature has fitted him.
"The wolf, the hound, and others, are furnished with an acute scent, and
are enabled to tire down their prey by a long chase. The feline tribe
are capable of very extraordinary efforts of activity and speed for a
very short time; if they fail to seize their prey at the first spring,
or after a few tremendous bounds, they generally abandon the pursuit.
"The lion can spring from nine to twelve yards at a leap, and for a few
seconds can repeat these bounds with such activity and velocity as to
out-strip the movements of the quickest horse; but he cannot continue
these amazing efforts, and does not attempt it. In fact, the lion is no
more than a gigantic cat, and he must live by obtaining his prey in the
same manner as a cat.
"In these countries, his prey is chiefly of the antelope species, the
swiftest animals on earth and what chance would he have, if he were to
give one of his magnanimous roars to announce his approach? He knows
his business better; he crouches in the rank grass and reeds by the
sides of the paths made by the animals to descend to the rivers and
pools to drink, and as they pass he makes his spring upon them.
"Now I do not consider that his obtaining his food as nature has pointed
out to him is any argument against what I consider the really noble
disposition of the lion, which is, that he does not kill for mere
cruelty, and that he is really generous unless compelled by hunger to
destroy, as I have already shown by one or two examples."
"We are convinced, my dear Swinton," said Alexander; "but now let us
have your opinion as to his being afraid to meet the eye of man."
"I consider that the lion will generally retreat before the presence of
man; but he does not retreat cowardly, like the leopard or hyena, and
others. He never slinks away, he appears calmly to survey his opponent,
as apparently measuring his prowess. I should say that the lion seems
to have a secret impression that man is not his natural prey, and
although he will not always give place to him, he will not attack him,
if, in the first place, the man shows no signs of fear, and in the
second, no signs of hostility.
"But this instinctive deference to man is not to be reckoned upon. He
may be very angry, he may be very hungry, he may have been just
disappointed in taking his prey, or he may be accompanied by the female
and cubs; in short, the animal's temper may have been ruffled, and in
this case he becomes dangerous.
"An old Namaqua chief with whom I was conversing, and who had been
accustomed to lions from childhood, fully corroborated these opinions,
and also that there is that in the eye of man before which the lion
quails. He assured me that the lion very seldom attacks a man, if not
provoked; but he will approach him within a few paces and survey him
steadily. Sometimes he attempts to get behind him, as if he could not
stand his look, but was desirous of springing upon him unawares. He
said, that if a man in such a case attempted to fly, he would run the
greatest danger, but that if he had presence of mind to confront the
animal, it would in almost every instance after a short time retire.
"Now I have already brought forward the instance of Muller and the lion,
as a proof of the effect of a man's eye upon the lion. I will now give
another, still more convincing, as the contact was still closer, and the
lion had even tasted blood.
"A boor of the name of Gyt was out with one of his neighbours hunting.
Coming to a fountain, surrounded as usual with tall reeds and rushes,
Gyt gave his gun to his comrade, and alighted to see if there was any
water remaining in it; but as he approached the fountain, an enormous
lion started up close at his side, and seized him by the left arm. Gyt,
although thus taken by surprise, stood motionless and without
struggling, for he was aware that the least attempt to escape would
occasion his immediate destruction. The animal also remained
motionless, holding Gyt fast by the arm with his fangs, but without
biting it severely, at the same time shutting his eyes, as if he could
not withstand the eyes of his victim fixed upon him."
"What a terrible position!"
"Yes; but I may here observe that the lion was induced to seize the man
in consequence of their coming so completely in contact, and, as it
were, for self-defence. Had they been farther apart, the lion would, as
usually is the case, have walked away; and, moreover, the eye of the man
being so close to him had, at the same time, more power over the lion,
so as to induce him to shut his own. But to continue--
"As they stood in this position, Gyt recovered his presence of mind, and
beckoned to his comrade to advance with his gun and shoot the lion
through the head. This might easily have been done, as the animal
continued still with his eyes closed, and Gyt's body concealed any
object approaching. But his comrade was a cowardly scoundrel, and,
instead of coming to Gyt's assistance, he cautiously crawled up a rock
to secure himself from any danger. For a long while Gyt continued
earnestly to entreat his comrade by signs to come to his assistance--the
lion continuing all this while perfectly quiet--but in vain."
"How my blood boils at the conduct of this scoundrel," said the Major;
"admitting his first impulse to have been fear, yet to allow his comrade
to remain in that position for so long a while covers him with infamy."
"I think if Gyt escaped, he must have felt very much inclined to shoot
the wretch himself."
"The lion-hunters affirm that, if Gyt had but persevered a little
longer, the animal would have at last released his hold and left Gyt
uninjured; that the grip of the lion was more from fear that the man
would hurt him, than from any wish to hurt the man; and such is my
opinion. But Gyt, indignant at the cowardice of his comrade, and losing
patience with the lion, at last drew his hunting-knife, which all the
boors invariably carry at their side, and with all the power of his
right arm thrust it into the lion's breast.
"The thrust was a deadly one, for it was aimed with judgment, and Gyt
was a bold and powerful man; but it did not prove effectual so as to
save Gyt's life, for the enraged lion, striving in his death agonies to
grapple with Gyt,--held at arm's length by the strength of desperation
on the part of the boor,--so dreadfully lacerated with his talons the
breast and arms of poor Gyt, that his bones were left bare.
"At last the lion fell dead, and Gyt fell with him. His cowardly
companion, who had witnessed this fearful struggle from the rock, now
took courage to advance, and carried the mangled body of Gyt to the
nearest house. Medical aid was at hand, but vainly applied, as, on the
third day, he died of a locked jaw. Such was the tragical end of this
rencontre, from the sheer cowardice of Gyt's companion.
"I could mention many other instances in which lions have had men in
their power and have not injured them, if they have neither attempted to
escape nor to assault; but I think I have given enough already, not only
to prove the fact of his general forbearance towards man, but also that
there is something in the eye of man at which the lion and other
animals, I believe, will quail."
"I can myself give an instance that this fascinating effect, or whatever
it may be, of the human eye, is not confined wholly to the lion," said
the Major.
"One of our officers in India, having once rambled into a jungle
adjoining the British encampment, suddenly encountered a Bengal tiger.
The meeting was evidently most unexpected on both sides, and both
parties made a dead halt, earnestly gazing at each other. The officer
had no fire-arms with him, although he had his regulation sword by his
side; but that he knew would be no defence if he had to struggle for
life with such a fearful antagonist. He was, however, a man of
undaunted courage, and he had heard that even a Bengal tiger might be
checked by looking him steadily in the face.
"His only artillery being, like a lady's, that of his eyes, he directed
them point blank at the tiger. He would have infinitely preferred a
rifle, as he was not at all sure but that his eyes might miss fire.
However, after a few minutes, during which the tiger had been crouched
ready for his spring, the animal appeared disturbed and irresolute,
slunk on one side, and then attempted to crawl round behind the officer.
"This, of course, the officer would not permit, and he turned to the
tiger as the tiger turned, with the same constancy that, Tom Moore says,
the `sunflower turns to the sun.' The tiger then darted into the
thicket, and tried to catch him by coming suddenly upon him from another
quarter, and taking him by surprise; but our officer was wide awake, as
you may suppose, and the tiger, finding that it was no go, at last went
off himself, and the officer immediately went off too, as fast he could,
to the encampment."
"I am glad to have heard your narrative, Major," replied Swinton; "for
many doubts have been thrown upon the question of the power of the human
eye, and your opinion is a very corroborative one."
"Do not you imagine that the lion-tamers who exhibit in Europe have
taken advantage of this peculiar fact?"
"I have no doubt but that it is one of their great helps; but I think
that they resort to other means, which have increased the instinctive
fear that the animals have of them. I have witnessed these exhibitions,
and always observed that the man never for a moment took his eyes off
the animal which he was playing with or commanding."
"I have observed that also; but what are the other means to which you
allude?"
"I cannot positively say, but I can only express an opinion. The most
painful and most stunning effects of a blow upon any part of the body,
not only of man but of brutes, is a blow on the nose. Many animals,
such as the seal and others, are killed by it immediately, and there is
no doubt but a severe blow on that tender part will paralyse almost any
beast for the time and give him a dread for the future. I believe that
repeated blows upon the nose will go farther than any other means to
break the courage of any beast, and I imagine that these are resorted
to: but it is only my opinion, recollect, and it must be taken for just
as much as it is worth."
"Do not you think that animals may be tamed by kindness, if you can
produce in them the necessary proportion of love and fear?"
"Yes, I was about to say every animal, but I believe some must be
excepted; and this is from their having so great a fear of man, rather
than from any other cause. If their fear could be overcome, they might
be tamed. Of course there are some animals which have not sufficient
reasoning power to admit of their being tamed; for instance, who would
ever think of taming a scorpion?"
"I believe that there is one animal which, although taken as a cub, has
resisted every attempt to tame it in the slightest degree, is the
grizzly bear of North America."
"I have heard so too," replied Swinton; "at all events, up to the
present time they have been unsuccessful. It is an animal of most
unamiable disposition, that is certain; and I would rather encounter ten
lions, if all that they say of it is true. But it is time for us to go
to bed. Those fires are getting rather low. Who has the watch?"
The Major rose and walked round to find the Hottentot who was on that
duty, and found him fast asleep. After sundry kicks in the ribs, the
fellow at last woke up.
"Is it your watch?"
"Yaw, Mynher," replied Big Adam, rolling out of his kaross.
"Well, then, you keep it so well, that you will have no tobacco next
time it is served out."
"Gentlemen all awake and keep watch, so I go to sleep a little," replied
Adam, getting up on his legs.
"Look to your fires, sir," replied the Major walking to his waggon.