Our travellers remained very quiet that day and the next. The horses
had suffered so much, that they required two days of rest, and they
themselves were not sorry to be inactive after their fatiguing journey
over the desert. The cattle enjoyed the luxuriant pasture, and although
the tracks of lions were discovered very near to them, yet, as they had
plenty of fuel and attended themselves to the fires, they had not any
visits from them during the night. The Hottentots had been out to
reconnoitre, and found a profusion of game, in a large plain, about two
miles distant; and it was decided that they would rest where they were
for a day or two, if the game were not frightened away. The river had
been crossed by Swanevelt, who stated that there was a large herd of
elephants on the other side, and the tracks of the rhinoceros were to be
seen on both sides of the river.
On the third morning after their arrival at the Vaal, they set off;
accompanied by the Hottentots, to the plain which they had spoken of;
riding through magnificent groups of acacia or camel-thorn trees, many
of which were covered with the enormous nests of the social grosbeaks.
As they descended to the plain, they perceived large herds of brindled
gnoos, quaggas, and antelopes, covering the whole face of the country as
far as the eye could reach, moving about in masses to and fro, joining
each other and separating, so that the whole plain appeared alive with
them.
"Is not this splendid?" cried the Major "Such a sight is worth all the
trouble and labour which we have undergone. What would they say in
England, if they could but behold this scene?"
"There must be thousands and thousands," said Alexander. "Tell me,
Swinton, what beautiful animals are those of a purple colour?"
"They are called the purple sassabys," replied Swinton; "one of the most
elegant of the antelope tribe."
"And those red and yellow out there?"
"They are the hartebeests. I wish to have male and female specimens of
both, if I can."
"See!" said the Major, "there is a fine flock of ostriches. We are
puzzled where to begin. Come, we have surveyed the scene long enough;
now forward,--to change it."
They rode down, and were soon within shot of the animals, and the rifles
began their work. The Hottentots commenced firing from various points,
and, alarmed by the report of the guns, the animals now fled away in
every direction, and the whole place was one cloud of dust. Our
travellers put their horses to their speed, and soon came up with them
again, as their numbers impeded the animals in their flight. Every shot
told, for it was hardly possible to miss; and the Hottentots, who
followed on foot, put those that were wounded out of their misery. At
last, the horses were too fatigued and too much out of wind to continue
the pursuit, and they reined up.
"Well, Alexander, this has been sport, has it not?" said the Major.
"Yes, a grand battue, on a grand scale, indeed."
"There were three animals which you did not observe," said Swinton; "but
it was impossible to get at them, they were so far off; but we must try
for them another time."
"What were they?"
"The elands, the largest of the antelope tribe," replied Swinton, "and
the best eating of them all. Sometimes they are nineteen hands high at
the chest, and will weigh nearly 2,000 pounds. It has the head of an
antelope, but the body is more like that of an ox. It has magnificent
straight horns, but they are not dangerous. They are easily run down,
for, generally speaking, they are very fat and incapable of much
exertion."
"We will look-out for them to-morrow," said the Major. "See how the
vultures are hovering over us; they know that there will be bones for
them to pick this night."
"More than bones," replied Alexander; "for what can we do with so many
carcasses? There is provision for a month, if it would keep. What a
prodigious variety of animals there appears to be in this country."
"Yes, they are congregated here, because the country, from want of rain,
may be considered as barren. But within eight or nine degrees of
latitude from the Cape, we find the largest and most minute of creation.
We have the ostrich and the little creeper among the birds. Among the
beasts we have the elephant, weighing four thousand pounds, and the
black specked mouse, weighing a quarter of an ounce. We have the
giraffe, seventeen feet high, and the little viverra, a sort of weasel,
of three inches. I believe there are thirty varieties of antelopes
known and described; eighteen of them are found in this country, and
there are the largest and the smallest of the species; for we have the
eland, and we have the pigmy antelope, which is not above six inches
high. We see here also the intermediate links of many genera, such as
the eland and the gnoo; and as we find the elephant, the rhinoceros, and
Wilmot's friend, the hippopotamus, we certainly have the bulkiest
animals in existence."
Bremen now came up to say that they had discovered a rhinoceros close to
the river-side, concealed in the bushes underneath a clump of acacia.
The Major and Alexander having declared their intention of immediately
going in pursuit, Swinton advised them to be cautious, as the charge of
a rhinoceros was a very awkward affair, if they did not get out of the
way. They rode down to the clump of trees and bushes where the animal
was said to be hid, and, by the advice of Bremen, sent for the dogs to
worry the animal out. Bremen, who was on foot, was desired by the Major
to take the horse which Omrah rode, that he might be more expeditious,
and our travellers remained with a clear space of about two hundred
yards between them and the bushes where the animal was concealed. The
Hottentots had also followed them, and were ordered on no account to
fire till they had taken their positions, and the dogs were sent in to
drive the animal out.
When Bremen was but a short distance from them with the dogs, Swinton
advised that they should dismount and take possession of a small clump
of trees which grew very close together, as they would be concealed from
the animal. They called Omrah to take the horses, but he was not to be
seen; so they gave them to one of the Hottentots, to lead them away to
some distance out of harm's way.
"The vision of the rhinoceros is so limited," observed Swinton, "that it
is not difficult to get out of his way on his first charge; but at his
second he is generally prepared for your manoeuvre. A ball in the
shoulder is the most fatal. Look-out, Bremen has turned in the dogs."
The barking of the dogs, which commenced as soon as they entered the
bushes, did not continue more than a minute, when a female rhinoceros of
the black variety burst out of the thicket in pursuit of the retreating
dogs. Several shots were fired by the Hottentots, who were concealed in
different quarters, without effect; the animal rushing along and tearing
up the ground with its horns, looking out for its enemies. At last it
perceived a Hottentot, who showed himself from a bush near to where our
travellers were concealed. The animal charged immediately, and in
charging was brought down on its knees by a shot from Alexander. The
Hottentots rushed out, regardless of Swinton's calling out to them to be
careful, as the animal was not dead, and had surrounded it within a few
yards, when it rose again and fiercely charged Swanevelt, who narrowly
escaped. A shot from the Major put an end to its career, and they then
walked up to where the animal lay, when a cry from Omrah, who was
standing near the river, attracted their notice, and they perceived that
the male rhinoceros, of whose presence they were not aware, had just
burst out of the same covert, and was charging towards them.
Every one immediately took to his heels; many of the Hottentots in their
fear dropping their muskets, and fortunately the distance they were from
the covert gave them time to conceal themselves in the thickets before
the animal could come up with them. A shot from Swinton turned the
assailant, who now tore up the earth in his rage, looking everywhere
round with its sharp flashing eye for a victim. At this moment, while
it seemed hesitating and peering about, to the astonishment of the whole
party, Omrah showed himself openly on the other side of the rhinoceros,
waving his red handkerchief, which he had taken off his head. The
rhinoceros, the moment that the boy caught his eye, rushed furiously
towards him. "The boy's lost," cried Swinton; but hardly had the words
gone from his mouth, when, to their astonishment, the rhinoceros
disappeared, and Omrah stood capering and shouting with delight. The
fact was that Omrah, when he had left our travellers, had gone down
towards the river, and as he went along had with his light weight passed
over what he knew full well to be one of the deep pits dug by the
Bushmen to catch those animals. Having fully satisfied himself that it
was so, he had remained by the side of it, and when the rhinoceros
rushed at him, he kept the pit between him and the animal. His object
was to induce the animal to charge at him, which it did, and when within
four yards of the lad, had plunged into the pit dug for him. The
success of Omrah's plan explained the whole matter at once, and our
travellers hastened up to where the rhinoceros was impounded, and found
that a large stake, fixed upright in the centre of the pit, had impaled
the animal. A shot from the Major put an end to the fury and the agony
of the animal.
"I never was more excited in my life; I thought the boy was mad and
wanted to lose his life," said Alexander.
"And so did I," replied Swinton; "and yet I ought to have known him
better. It was admirably done; here we have an instance of the
superiority of man endowed with reasoning power over brutes. A
rhinoceros will destroy the elephant; the lion can make no impression on
him, and flies before him like a cat. He is in fact the most powerful
of all animals; he fears no enemy, not even man, when he is provoked or
wounded; and yet he has fallen by the cleverness of that little monkey
of a Bush-boy. I think, Major, we have done enough now, and may go back
to the caravan."
"Yes, I am well satisfied with our day's sport, and am not a little
hungry. We may now let the Hottentots bring home as much game as they
can. You have taken care to give directions about your specimens,
Swinton?"
"Yes, Bremen knows the animals which I require, and is now after them.
Omrah, run and tell that fellow to bring our horses here."
"Swinton, can birds and beasts talk, or can they not?" said the Major.
"I ask that question because I am now looking at the enormous nests of
the grosbeaks. It is a regular town with some hundreds of houses.
These birds, as well as those sagacious animals, the beaver, the ant,
and the bee, not to mention a variety of others, must have some way of
communicating their ideas."
"That there is no doubt of," replied Swinton, laughing; "but still I
believe that man only is endowed with speech."
"Well, we know that; but if not with speech, they must have some means
of communication which answers as well."
"As far as their wants require it, no doubt," replied Swinton; "but to
what extent is hidden from us. Animals have instinct and reasoning
powers, but not reason."
"Where is the difference?"
"The reasoning powers are generally limited to their necessities; but
with animals who are the companions of man, they appear to be more
extended."
"We have a grand supper to-night," said Alexander; "what shall I help
you to--harte-beest, sassaby, or rhinoceros?"
"Thank you," replied the Major, laughing; "I'll trouble you for a small
portion of that rhinoceros-steak,--underdone if you please."
"How curious that would sound in Grosvenor Square."
"Not if you shot the animals in Richmond Park," said Swinton.
"Those rascally Hottentots will collect no fuel to-night, if we do not
make them do it now," said the Major. "If they once begin to stuff, it
will be all over with them."
"Very true; we had better set them about it before the feast begins.
Call Bremen, Omrah."
Having given their directions, our party finished their supper, and then
Alexander asked Swinton whether he had ever known any serious accidents
from the hunting of the rhinoceros.
"Yes," replied Swinton; "I once was witness to the death of a native
chief."
"Then pray tell us the story," said the Major. "By hearing how other
people have suffered, we learn how to take care of ourselves."
"Before I do so, I will mention what was told me by a Namaqua chief
about a lion; I am reminded of it by the Major's observations as to the
means animals have of communicating with each other. Once when I was
travelling in Namaqua-land, I observed a spot which was imprinted with
at least twenty spoors or marks of the lion's paw; and as I pointed them
out, a Namaqua chief told me that a lion had been practising his leap.
On demanding an explanation, he said, that if a lion sprang at an
animal, and missed it by leaping short, he would always go back to where
he sprang from, and practise the leap so as to be successful on another
occasion; and he then related to me the following anecdote, stating that
he was an eye-witness to the incident.
"`I was passing near the end of a craggy hill from which jutted out a
smooth rock, of from ten to twelve feet high, when I perceived a number
of zebras galloping round it, which they were obliged to do, as the rock
beyond was quite steep. A lion was creeping towards the rock, to catch
the male zebra which brought up the rear of the herd. The lion sprang
and missed his mark; he fell short, with only his head over the edge of
the rock, and the zebra galloped away, switching his tail in the air.
Although the object of his pursuit was gone, the lion tried the leap on
the rock a second and a third time, till he succeeded. During this, two
more lions came up and joined the first lion. They seemed to be
talking, for they roared a great deal to each other and then the first
lion led them round the rock again and again. Then he made another
grand leap, to show them what he and they must do another time.' The
chief added, `They evidently were talking to each other, but I could not
understand a word of what they said, although they talked loud enough;
but I thought it was as well to be off; or they might have some talk
about me.'"
"Well, they certainly do not whisper," said the Major, laughing. "Thank
you for that story, Swinton, and now for the rhinoceros-hunt."
"I was once out hunting with a Griqua, of the name of Henrick, and two
or three other men; we had wounded a springbok, and were following its
track, when we came upon the footing of a rhinoceros, and shortly
afterwards we saw a large black male in the bush."
"You mention a black rhinoceros; is there any other?"
"Yes, there is a white rhinoceros, as it is called, larger than the
black, but not so dangerous. It is in fact a stupid sort of animal.
The black rhinoceros, as you are aware, is very fierce. Well, to
continue: Henrick slipped down behind a bush, fired, and wounded the
animal severely in the fore-leg. The rhinoceros charged, we all fled,
and the animal, singling out one of our men, closely pursued him; but
the man, stopping short, while the horn of the rhinoceros ploughed up
the ground at his heels, dexterously jumped on one side. The rhinoceros
missed him and passed on in full speed, and before the brute could
recover himself and change his course, the whole of us had climbed up
into trees. The rhinoceros, limping with his wound, went round and
round, trying to find us out by the scent, but he tried in vain. At
last, one of the men, who had only an assaguay, said, `Well, how long
are we going to stay here? Why don't you shoot?'
"`Well,' said Henrick, `if you are so anxious to shoot, you may if you
please. Here is my powder-and-shot belt, and my gun lies under the
tree.' The man immediately descended from the tree, loaded the gun, and
approaching the rhinoceros he fired and wounded it severely in the jaw.
The animal was stunned, and dropped on the spot. Thinking that it was
dead, we all descended fearlessly and collected round it; and the man
who had fired was very proud, and was giving directions to the others,
when of a sudden the animal began to recover, and kicked with his
hind-legs. Henrick told us all to run for our lives, and set us the
example. The rhinoceros started up again, and singling out the
unfortunate man who had got down and fired at it, roaring and snorting
with rage, thundered after him.
"The man, perceiving that he could not outrun the beast, tried the same
plan as the other hunter did when the rhinoceros charged him: stopping
short, he jumped on one side, that the animal might pass him; but the
brute was not to be balked a second time; he caught the man on his horn
under the left thigh, and cutting it open as if it had been done with an
axe, tossed him a dozen yards up in the air. The poor fellow fell
facing the rhinoceros, with his legs spread; the beast rushed at him
again, and ripped up his body from his stomach to almost his throat, and
again tossed him in the air. Again he fell heavily to the ground. The
rhinoceros watched his fall, and running up to him trod upon and pounded
him to a mummy. After this horrible tragedy, the beast limped off into
a bush. Henrick then crept up to the bush; the animal dashed out again,
and would certainly have killed another man, if a dog had not turned it.
In turning short round upon the dog, the bone of its fore-leg, which
had been half broken through by Henrick's first shot, snapped in two,
and it fell, unable to recover itself, and was then shot dead."
"A very awkward customer, at all events," observed the Major. "I
presume a leaden bullet would not enter?"
"No, it would flatten against most parts of his body. By the bye, I saw
an instance of a rhinoceros having been destroyed by that cowardly brute
the hyena."
"Indeed!"
"Yes, patience and perseverance on the hyena's part effected the work.
The rhinoceros takes a long while to turn round, and the hyena attacked
him behind, biting him with his powerful jaws above the joint of the
hind-leg, and continued so to do, till he had severed all the muscles,
and the animal, forced from pain to lie down, was then devoured as you
may say alive from behind; the hyena still tearing at the same quarter,
until he arrived at the vital parts. By the track which was marked with
the blood of the rhinoceros, the hyena must have followed the animal for
many miles, until the rhinoceros was in such pain that it could proceed
no farther.--But if you are to hunt to-morrow at daybreak, it is time to
go to sleep; so good-night."
At daybreak the next morning, they took a hasty meal, and started again
for the plain. Swinton, having to prepare his specimens, did not
accompany them. There was a heavy fog on the plain when they arrived at
it, and they waited for a short time, skirting the south side of it,
with the view of drawing the animals towards the encampment. At last
the fog vanished, and discovered the whole country, as before, covered
with every variety of wild animals. But as their object was to obtain
the eland antelope, they remained stationary for some time, seeking for
those animals among the varieties which were scattered in all
directions. At last Omrah, whose eyes were far keener than even the
Hottentots', pointed out three at a distance, under a large acacia
thorn. They immediately rode at a trot in that direction, and the
various herds of quaggas, gnoos, and antelopes scoured away before them;
and so numerous were they, and such was the clattering of hoofs, that
you might have imagined that it was a heavy charge of cavalry. The
objects of their pursuit remained quiet until they were within three
hundred yards of them, and then they set off at a speed, notwithstanding
their heavy and unwieldy appearance, which for a short time completely
distanced the horses. But this speed could not be continued, and the
Major and Alexander soon found themselves rapidly coming up. The poor
animals exerted themselves in vain; their sleek coats first turned to a
blue colour, and then white with foam and perspiration, and at last
they, were beaten to a stand-still, and were brought down by the rifles
of our travellers, who then dismounted their horses, and walked up to
the quarry.
"What magnificent animals!" exclaimed Alexander.
"They are enormous, certainly," said the Major. "Look at the beautiful
dying eye of that noble beast. Is it not speaking?"
"Yes, imploring for mercy, as it were, poor creature."
"Well, these three beasts, that they say are such good eating, weigh
more than fifty antelopes."
"More than fifty springboks, I grant. Well, what shall we do now?"
"Let our horses get their wind again, and then we will see if we can
fall in with some new game."
"I saw two or three antelopes, of a very different sort from the
sassabys and harte-beests, towards that rising ground. We will go that
way as soon as the Hottentots come up and take charge of our game."
"Does Swinton want to preserve one of these creatures?"
"I believe not, they are so very bulky. He says we shall find plenty as
we go on, and that he will not encumber the waggons with a skin until we
leave the Vaal River, and turn homewards. Now, Bremen and Omrah, come
with us."
The Major and Alexander then turned their horses' heads, and rode slowly
towards the hill which they had noticed, and the antelopes that the
Major had observed were now seen among the bushes which crowned the
hill. Bremen said that he did not know the animals, and the Major was
most anxious to obtain one to surprise Swinton with. As soon as they
came within two hundred yards of the bushes on the other side of which
the antelopes were seen, the Major gave his horse to Omrah and advanced
alone very cautiously, that he might bring one down with his rifle. He
gained the bushes without alarming the animals, and the party left
behind were anxiously watching his motions, expecting him every moment
to fire, when the Major suddenly turned round and came back at a hurried
pace.
"What is the matter?" said Alexander.
"Matter enough to stop my growth for all my life," replied the Major.
"If ever my heart was in my mouth, it was just now. I was advancing
softly, and step by step, towards the antelopes, and was just raising my
rifle to fire, when I heard something flapping the ground three or four
yards before me. I looked down, and it was the tail of a lioness, which
fortunately was so busy watching the antelopes with her head the other
way, that she did not perceive my being near her; whereupon I beat a
retreat, as you have witnessed."
"Well, what shall we do now?"
"Wait a little till I have recovered my nerves," said the Major, "and
then I'll be revenged upon her. Swinton is not here to preach prudence,
and have a lion-hunt I will."
"With all my heart," replied Alexander. "Bremen, we are going to attack
the lioness."
"Yes, sir," said Bremen; "then we had better follow Cape fashion. We
will back the horses towards her, and Omrah will hold them while we will
attack her. I think one only had better fire, so we keep two guns in
reserve."
"You are right, Bremen," said Alexander. "Then you and I will reserve
our fire, and the Major shall try his rifle upon her."
With some difficulty the horses were backed towards the bush, until the
Major could again distinguish where the lioness lay, at about sixty
paces' distance. The animal appeared still occupied with the game in
front of her, watching her opportunity to spring, for her tail and
hind-quarters were towards them. The Major fired, and the animal
bounded off with a loud roar; while the antelopes flew away like the
wind. The roar of the lioness was answered by a deep growl from another
part of the bush, and immediately afterwards a lion bolted out, and
bounded from the bushes across the plain, to a small mimosa grove about
a quarter, of a mile off.
"What a splendid animal!" said Alexander; "look at his black mane, it
almost sweeps the ground."
"We must have him," cried the Major, jumping on his horse.
Alexander, Bremen, and Omrah did the same, and they followed the lion,
which stood at bay under the mimosas, measuring the strength of the
party, and facing them in a most noble and imposing manner. It
appeared, however, that he did not like their appearance, or was not
satisfied with his own position, for as they advanced he retreated at a
slow pace, and took up his position on the summit of a stony hill close
by, the front of which was thickly dotted with low thorn-bushes. The
thorn-bushes extended about 200 yards from where the lion stood,
disdainfully surveying the party as they approached towards him, and
appearing, with a conscious pride in his own powers, to dare them to
approach him.
They dismounted from their horses as soon as they arrived at the
thorn-bushes, and the Major fired. The rifle-ball struck the rock close
to the lion, who replied with an angry growl. The Major then took the
gun from Omrah and fired, and again the ball struck close to the
animal's feet. The lion now shook his mane, gave another angry roar;
and by the glistening of his eyes, and the impatient switching of his
tail, it was evident that he would soon become the attacking party.
"Load both your guns again," said Alexander, "and then let me have a
shot, Major."
As soon as the Major's guns were loaded, Alexander took aim and fired.
The shot broke the lion's fore-leg, which he raised up with a voice of
thunder, and made a spring from the rock towards where our party stood.
"Steady now," cried the Major to Bremen, at the same time handing his
spare rifle to Alexander.
The rush of the angry animal was heard through the bushes advancing
nearer and nearer; and they all stood prepared for the encounter. At
last out the animal sprang, his mane bristling on end, his tail straight
out, and his eyeballs flashing rage and vengeance. He came down upon
the hind-quarters of one of the horses, which immediately started off;
overthrowing and dragging Omrah to some distance. One of the lion's
legs being broken, had occasioned the animal to roll off on the side of
the horse, and he now remained on the ground ready for a second spring,
when he received a shot through the back from Bremen, who stood behind
him. The lion, with another dreadful roar, attempted to spring upon the
Major, who was ready with his rifle to receive him; but the shot from
Bremen had passed through his spine and paralysed his hind-quarters, and
he made the attempt in vain, a second and a third time throwing his
fore-quarters up in the air, and then falling down again, when a bullet
from the Major passed through his brain. The noble beast sunk down,
gnawing the ground and tearing it with the claws of the leg which had
not been wounded, and then, in a few seconds, breathed his last.
"I am glad that is over, Alexander," said the Major; "it was almost too
exciting to be pleasant."
"It was very awful for the time, I must acknowledge," replied Alexander;
"what an enormous brute! I think I never saw such a magnificent skin."
"It is yours by the laws of war," said the Major.
"Nay," replied Alexander, "it was you that gave him his _coup de
grace_."
"Yes, but if you had not broken his leg, he might have given some of us
our _coup de grace_. No, no, the skin is yours. Now the horses are
off; and we cannot send for the Hottentots. They have got rid of Omrah,
who is coming back with his shirt torn into tatters."
"The men will catch the horses and bring them here, depend upon it,
sir," said Bremen, "and then they can take off the skin."
"Well, if I am to have the lion's skin, I must have that of the lioness
also, Major; so we must finish our day's hunting with forcing her to
join her mate."
"Very good, with all my heart."
"Better wait till the men come with the horses, sir," said Bremen;
"three guns are too few to attack a lion--very great danger indeed."
"Bremen is right, Alexander; we must not run such a risk again. Depend
upon it, if the animal's leg had not been broken, we should not have had
so easy a conquest. Let us sit down quietly till the men come up."
In about half an hour, as Bremen had conjectured, the Hottentots,
perceiving the horses loose, and suspecting that something had happened,
went in chase of them, and as soon as they had succeeded in catching
them, brought them in the direction to which they had seen our
travellers ride. They were not a little astonished at so small a party
having ventured to attack a lion, and gladly prepared for the attack of
the lioness. Three of the dogs having accompanied them, it was decided
that they should be put into the bushes where the lioness was lying when
the Major fired at her, so as to discover where she now was; and leaving
the lion for the present, they all set off for the first jungle.
The dogs could not find the lioness in the bushes, and it was evident
that she had retreated to some other place; and Swanevelt, who was an
old lion-hunter, gave his opinion that she would be found in the
direction near to where the lion was killed. They went therefore in
that direction, and found that she was in the clump of mimosas to which
the lion had first retreated. The previous arrangement of backing the
horses towards where she lay was attempted, but the animals had been too
much frightened in the morning by the lion's attack, to be persuaded.
They reared and plunged in such a manner, as to be with difficulty
prevented from breaking loose; it was therefore necessary to abandon
that plan, and trust to themselves and their numbers. The clump of
trees was surrounded by the party, and the dogs encouraged to go in,
which they did, every now and then rushing back from the paws of the
lioness. The Hottentots now fired into the clump at random, and their
volleys were answered by the loud roars of the animal, which would not
however show herself, and half an hour was passed away in this manner.
At last she was perceived at one side of the jungle, by Swanevelt, who
fired with effect, for the animal gave a loud roar, and then bounded
out, not attempting to rush upon any person, but to make her escape from
her assailants. A volley was fired at her, and one shot took effect,
for she fell with her head to the ground, and tumbled right over; but
immediately after she recovered herself, and made off for the bushes
where she had been first discovered.
"She was hit hard that time, at all events," said the Major.
"Yes, sir," said Bremen, "that was her death-shot, I should think; but
she is not dead yet, and may give us a great deal of trouble."
They followed her as fast as they could on foot, and the dogs were soon
upon her again; the animal continued to roar, and always from the same
spot; so that it was evident she was severely wounded. Alexander and
the Major reserved their fire, and approached to where the dogs were
baying, not twenty yards from the jungle. Another roar was given, and
suddenly the body of the lioness rushed through the air, right in the
direction where they stood; she passed, however, between them, and when
she reached the ground, she fell on her side quite dead. It was her
last expiring effort, and she had died in the attempt. Alexander and
the Major, who were both ready to fire, lowered their rifles when they
perceived that she was dead.
"Well," said the Major, "I will say that when I first saw her tail, I
was more frightened than I was just now, when she made the spring; I was
so taken by surprise."
"I don't doubt it. She is a very large animal, and will make a handsome
companion to the lion. If we live and do well, and get home to England
again, I will have her stuffed along with him, and put them in the same
case."
"I trust you will, and that I shall come and see them," replied the
Major.
"I am sure I do, from my heart, my good fellow. I am very much pleased
at our having killed both these beasts, without Swinton being with us,
as he would have been persuading us to leave them alone."
"And he would have done very right," replied the Major. "We are two
naughty boys, and shall be well scolded when we go back."
"Which I vote we do now. I think we have done quite enough for to-day."
"Yes, indeed," replied the Major, mounting his horse; "enough to talk of
all our lives. Now let us gallop home, and say nothing about having
killed the lions until the Hottentots bring them to the caravan."