Certainly there was something mysterious about the matter. The lion
still kept his position; no motion could be observed, no sound escaped
him; whereas the lioness uttered incessantly her shrill growling, at the
same time pacing to and fro, round and round, the confused heap of
bodies! She made no attempt to feed, though her prey lay bleeding
before her. Surely her lord was not the cause of her abstinence! Did
he insist upon having both the carcasses to himself?
Sometimes it is so. Sometimes an old male plays the selfish tyrant, and
keeps the younger and weaker members of his family off, till he has
gorged himself, permitting them to make a "second table" of his
leavings.
In the present instance this was not likely. There were two whole
carcasses,--large fat carcasses,--enough for both. Besides, the lioness
was evidently the lion's own mate--his wife. It was scarcely probable
he would treat her so. Among human beings instances of such
selfishness,--such a gross want of gallantry, are, I regret to say, by
no means rare; but the young yagers could not believe the lion guilty of
such shabby conduct--the lion, Buffon's type of nobility! No such
thing. But how was it? The lioness still growled and paced about, ever
and anon stooping near the head of her partner, which was not visible
from the camp, and placing her snout in contact with his as if kissing
him. Still there was no sign of any response, no motion on his part;
and, after watching for a good while without perceiving any, the hunters
at length became satisfied that the lion was dead.
He was dead--as Julius Caesar or a door-nail, and so, too, was the brace
of gemsboks. The lioness was the only living thing left from that
sanguinary conflict!
As soon as the hunters became satisfied of this, they began to
deliberate among themselves what was best to be done. They wished to
get possession of the venison, but there was no hope of their being able
to do so, as long as the lioness remained upon the ground.
To have attempted to drive her off at that moment would have been a most
perilous undertaking. She was evidently excited to madness, and would
have charged upon any creature that had shown itself in her
neighbourhood. The frenzied manner in which she paced about, and lashed
her sides with her tail, her fierce and determined look, and deep angry
growl, all told the furious rage she was in. There was menace in her
every movement. The hunters saw this, and prudently withdrew
themselves--so as to be near the wagons in case she might come that way.
They thought that by waiting awhile she would go off, and then they
could drag the antelopes up to camp.
But after waiting a good while, they observed no change in the conduct
of the fierce brute. She still paced around as before, and abstained
from touching the carcasses. As one of the yagers observed, she
continued to "play the dog in the manger,"--would neither eat herself,
nor suffer anybody else to eat.
This remark, which was made by little Jan, elicited a round of laughter
that sounded in strange contrast with the melancholy howl of the
lioness, which still continued to terrify the animals of the camp. Even
the dogs cowered among the wheels of the wagons, or kept close to the
heels of their masters. It is true that many of these faithful brutes,
had they been set on, would have manfully battled with the lioness, big
as she was. But the young yagers well knew that dogs before the paws of
an angry lion are like mice under the claws of a cat. They did not
think of setting them on, unless they had themselves made an attack; and
that, the advice of Hans, coupled with the counsels they had received
before leaving home, prevented them from doing. They had no intention
of meddling with the lioness; and hoped she would soon retire, and leave
the game, or part of it, on the ground.
After waiting a long while, and seeing that the lioness showed no
symptoms of leaving the spot, they despaired of dining on oryx venison,
and once more set to broiling their slices of biltong.
They had not yet commenced eating, when they perceived a new arrival
upon the scene of the late struggle. Half-a-dozen hyenas appeared upon
the ground; and although these had not yet touched the carcasses, but
were standing a little way off--through fear of the lioness--their
hungry looks told plainly what their intention was in coming there.
Now the presence of these hideous brutes was a new point for
consideration. If the lioness should allow them to begin their feast
upon the antelopes, in a very short while scarce a morsel of either
would remain. The yagers, although they had resigned all hope of dining
on the gemsbok venison, nevertheless looked forward to making their
supper of it; but if the hyenas were permitted to step in, they would be
disappointed.
How were the brutes to be kept off?
To drive them off would be just as perilous an undertaking as to drive
off the lioness herself.
Once more Groot Willem and Hendrik talked about attacking the latter;
but, as before, were opposed by Hans, who had to use all his influence
with his companions before he could induce them to abandon the rash
project.
At this moment an unexpected proposal put an end to their discussion.
The proposal came from Congo the Kaffir. It was neither less nor more
than that he himself should go forth and do battle with the lioness!
"What! alone?"
"Alone."
"You are mad, Congo. You would be torn to pieces!"
"No fear, Mynheeren. Congo the leuw kill without getting scratch. You
see, young masters."
"What! without arms? without a gun?"
"Congo not know how use one," replied the Kaffir, "you see how I do
'im," he continued. "All Congo ask you not come in way. Young masters,
here stay and Congo leave to himself. No danger. Mynheeren, Congo fear
if go yonder help him--leuw very mad. Congo not care for that--so much
mad, so much better--leuw no run away."
"But what do you intend to do, Congo?"
"Mynheeren soon all see--see how Congo kill lion."
The hunters were disposed to look upon the Kaffir as about to make a
reckless exposure of his life. Swartboy would have treated the proposal
as a boast, and laughed thereat, but Swartboy remembered the humiliation
he had had in the morning on account of similar conduct; and though he
feared to be farther outstripped in hunter-craft by his rival, he had
the prudence upon this occasion to conceal his envy. He bit his thick
lips, and remained silent. Some of the boys, and especially Hans, would
have dissuaded Congo from his purpose; but Groot Willem was inclined to
let him have his way. Groot Willem knew the Kaffir better than any of
the others. He knew, moreover, that savage as he was, he was not going
to act any foolish part for the mere sake of braggadocio. He could be
trusted. So said Groot Willem.
This argument, combined with a desire to eat gemsbok venison for supper,
had its effect. Arend and Hans gave in.
Congo had full permission to battle with the lioness.