The constant mutterings and roarings which saluted our ears during the
night, made us suspect that we should not obtain much game in the
neighbourhood, besides which we should run a great risk of being
attacked while out shooting. We therefore struck camp, and proceeded on
to the northward. The country in many places was rocky, and though
there were no mountains of any great height there were savage defiles
through which we had to pass, the sides of the cliffs being covered with
brushwood and creepers, and in some spots with tall trees. We were not
afraid of being attacked by natives, but notwithstanding we always sent
out scouts on our flanks and ahead.
We had gone on some distance when Toko, who was leading, came hurrying
back.
"I have seen a strange sight, which I would rather not have seen," he
exclaimed.
"What is it?" asked my uncle.
"Lions, a whole army of them. They seem determined to stop our way," he
answered.
"If there were a hundred of them they should not do that," replied my
uncle. "We'll have a look at the gentlemen. We shall soon drive them
off if I mistake not."
As it would have been imprudent to carry the cattle and horses into the
neighbourhood, a halt was called, and the blacks were left in charge of
the animals, while we, with Hans Scarff, prepared to ride forward.
"Stay!" said Harry. "I think we have got something to send them to the
rightabout, if our shouts fail to drive them away." And going to the
waggon he produced half-a-dozen rockets.
"One of those will do," observed his father, "for we may want the rest
for another emergency. However, you can carry a couple in case one
should fail."
Led by Toko, we proceeded along the defile, when, on reaching some high
ground, we saw, collected together below us among the rocks, an immense
number of lions. There must have been several families, fathers and
mothers with their young ones. What could have brought them together to
that spot, it was difficult to conjecture. Toko declared that they knew
we were about to pass that way, and had assembled for the purpose of
attacking us. Of course such an idea was ridiculous; however, there
they were, and had we passed close to them, they might have committed
serious havoc among our cattle, although we should no doubt have shot
down many of them. They must have seen us, from the way they lashed
their tails and muttered; while, from the loud roars which three or four
of the elders gave forth, it was pretty clear that they meant mischief.
We, however, rode forward determined to drive them away. Harry and I,
in the meantime, got the rockets ready to fire in case our shouts should
fail to produce the desired effect. As we got nearer there was a
general movement among them. As we shouted they roared in return,
apparently not being alarmed by the sound of our voices.
"We must not remain unarmed, so let only three fire at a time, while the
others reload," said my uncle. "Now fire!"
As the smoke cleared away, it seemed doubtful whether any of the shots
had taken effect, as the lions did not move from the spot they occupied.
"I suspect they are waiting for the appearance of a herd of `gemsboks,'
and that they will not give up the chance of catching their prey,"
observed my uncle.
"We must disappoint them then," said Mr Welbourn. "Harry, get one of
your rockets ready, and pitch it into the middle of them directly after
we fire our next volley."
We had got the tube fixed and placed at the proper elevation. We had to
wait until those next to fire had discharged their rifles, when two of
the lions were evidently badly wounded, but even this did not make them
take to flight. Harry then applied the match to the rocket which
pitched in the midst of the congregated lions. The effect was
electrical. Seized with a panic, away they all scampered over the rocks
at a greater rate than I had ever before seen lions run. None stopped
for the others. One with his spine injured lay on the ground. Two
others dropped before they had got far, while the remainder were soon
out of sight.
"The brutes will not come back to this locality," exclaimed my uncle.
"We must now put the other ones out of their pain."
A rifle ball sent through the head of each quickly did this. Rapidly
skinning them, we left the carcases to be devoured by the birds of prey,
which almost before we got out of sight appeared in the air; for
although hyaenas and jackals are said to keep aloof even from a dead
lion, the vulture tribes possess no such awe for the monarch of the
wilds.
Returning to where we had left our cattle, we at once moved forward,
anxious to get out from among the rocky defiles as soon as possible.
Scarcely had we emerged from them, than we saw in the distance an
enormous herd of deer, which Mr Welbourn at once pronounced to be
"pallah." As they approached we drew on one side before we were
discovered. First came a stag, a magnificent animal of a bay colour,
fading into a whitey-brown, with elegantly, somewhat harp-shaped horns,
marked with rings, and a black semi-circular mark on the croup by which
it could be at once distinguished. Its feet were of a jetty hue.
Though it might have seen us, it continued walking on in a sedate
manner, the rest following their leader with a confidence which showed
that they must put implicit trust in him.
My uncle and Hans, at once dismounting, crept towards the herd; and,
waiting until the greater number had passed, fired together, when three
of the animals fell dead. The remainder, instead of turning to fly,
dashed forward to fill up the gaps in their line, the whole moving on at
a much greater speed than before. Two others, however, were killed
before the herd made their escape through the pass towards which they
were directing their course.
Had we not driven away the lions, probably many more would have been
killed by them. We at once carried off the five which were destined for
provisioning our party, and loaded our waggons with their skins and
horns.
We were now approaching a part of the country where we hoped to find a
greater number of elephants than we had yet met with, our chief object
being to obtain their tusks; although nothing came amiss, rhinoceros
horns, skins, or ostrich feathers; the latter especially, from their
small bulk, were really of more value than elephant tusks.
We were now crossing a wide plain with rocks. Here and there were
ant-hills, by the side of each of which grew a dark-leaved tree called
the "Mollopie." Near our camp was a rain-pool, at which our animals
were watered. Jan here captured a large frog in which, when he cut it
open, for the purpose of preparing it for cooking, he found a whole
mouse, two or three ants, and several other insects.
In the morning our people informed us that they had heard the roaring of
a lion during the night at a neighbouring pool; and as there was a great
likelihood of his paying a visit to the camp, to make a feast off our
oxen, we determined to dispatch him before going out to hunt.
As we approached the pool, the noise was again heard.
"He must be in a thicket close by," exclaimed Harry.
But every thicket round was well beaten, and no lion appeared. At last
I heard Harry laughing heartily, and saw him pointing to the opposite
side of the pool, where I caught sight of a big frog poking his head
above the reeds. There could be no doubt of it. Though he could not
swell himself to the size of a lion, Mr Bullfrog had managed to imitate
very closely his voice, so we returned to camp feeling somewhat ashamed
of ourselves, Harry every now and then giving way to a burst of
laughter.
In the open country, where little shelter is to be found, lions are not
often to be met with, and as they can be seen long before they approach,
no danger is to be apprehended from them. One of the men who had
remained behind followed, bringing one of the bullfrogs which he had
captured in the pool. The body, which we measured, was nine inches in
length, by five and a half wide; and the hind legs, from toe to toe,
eighteen inches. On being cut open a young bird which it had lately
swallowed was found in its inside.
I, having completely recovered the use of my foot, arranged with Harry
that we should make another expedition together in search of game. We
agreed that Jan should accompany us, and just as we were starting Hans
offered to go. We would rather have dispensed with his company, as he
was not a favourite with either of us. Mr Welbourn, my uncle, Toko,
and two or three Makololoes were to set off in another direction. They
charged us not to go beyond a _vlei_ or pool, which we had heard of from
the Makololoes, about twelve miles to the northward.
This, however, gave us a very wide scope, and we fully expected to come
back with plenty of game of some sort.
We went on for some distance without meeting with any live creatures,
though we crossed the spoor of numerous elands, buffaloes, giraffes, and
occasionally of elephants. Neither Hans nor Jan knew more of the
country than we did, but Harry said that he had brought a compass, so
that we should have no difficulty in finding our way, even should clouds
gather in the sky or night overtake us. When, however, he came to
search for the instrument in his pocket, it was not to be found.
"Never mind," he observed, "as the sky is bright, the sun will guide us
by day, and the stars by night, even if we are kept out, and there is no
reason why we should be if we turn back again in good time."
On we went, therefore, intending on arriving at the _vlei_, to wait
until some animals should come to drink, which they were sure to do,
unless there were other water-holes in the neighbourhood.
We had brought very little food, expecting to be able to supply
ourselves with meat and fruits. From the appearance of the country we
had no doubt that we should meet with melons, even though we might not
come across water before we arrived at the _vlei_.
We had, according to our calculation, gone about two-thirds of the
distance without having shot a single animal, when the weather began to
change. Clouds gathered in the sky, and a thick mist swept across the
face of the country, such as occasionally, though not often, occurs in
that latitude. We agreed, however, that by turning directly back we
should have to traverse the same region we had just passed over, without
finding game, and we should thus be disappointed in obtaining food.
This was not to be thought of. I would be far better to go on to where
we should have every chance of finding it. Hans concurred with us, and,
as Jan was always ready to go forward, on we went.
In consequence of being shaded from the rays of the sun, we were better
able to travel than usual during the hot hours of the day. We had
reached the part of the country where we had expected to find the
_vlei_; but, even though Jan mounted to the topmost boughs of the
tallest tree we could find, when he came down he declared that he could
not discover water.
We therefore again pushed on, until we reached a rocky hill, to the
summit of which we climbed. Not a pool could we see either to the
north, east, south, or west.
We were now getting both hungry and thirsty, for we had exhausted the
water we had brought in our bottles. We were convinced, however, that
we must be near the _vlei_, and that some rise in the ground probably
hid it from view. While looking about we caught sight of some animals
of the deer tribe, and Harry and I arranged to go down to try and kill
one of them, while Hans and Jan were to continue the search for water,
and, should they find it, they were to meet us at the foot of the hill,
from which they started.
Keeping ourselves among the rocks and shrubs and tall grass, we made our
way in the direction we had seen the deer. As we got nearer Harry
pronounced them to be _ourebis_. We were afraid that we should have no
chance of getting within shot, for we saw them gliding rapidly along,
often bounding several feet into the air, then galloping on again, and
once more bounding on.
"I'll try a dodge I once saw practised," whispered Harry. "Do you lie
down with your rifle ready to fire behind yonder bush, and I'll go
forward and show myself. They have a good deal of curiosity in their
nature, and I'll try to excite it."
He then placed his rifle and coat and hat on the ground, and creeping a
little forward, to one side of where I lay, he suddenly rose with his
feet in the air, supporting himself on his hands. How he could manage
to maintain that position so long surprised me. I should have had the
blood rush into my head and dropped down in a minute had I made the
attempt.
All the time I was watching the ourebis; which, no longer leaping about,
remained quiet for some seconds, and then with slow and stately steps
advanced towards the curious object. I had time to examine them
minutely. Their colour was a pale tawny above, and white below. The
horns straight and pointed, and, as far as I could judge, five inches in
length. The animal itself is of no great height, standing not more than
two feet from the ground, though when it lifts up its head it looks much
taller. The female of the pair which approached was hornless. On they
came, closer and closer. I was afraid that Harry would drop down and
frighten them away before they had got near enough to enable me to take
a sure aim.
I was in as good a position as I could desire, for, though the bush
effectually concealed me, I could see them clearly. I dared not,
however, move my rifle in the least degree, for fear it should touch the
leaves and make the animals suspicious. "Do not fire until they begin
to move away, I want to get them up close to me," said Harry, in a
whisper.
The animals still, in spite of the danger, came on, until they were not
twenty yards off. At length, it seemed to me, by the way they moved
their ears, that they were on the point of starting.
I fired, the buck dropped on his fore-legs, and at the same instant
Harry threw himself on his feet, lifted his rifle and fired at the doe
before she had got ten paces off. Down she also came utterly helpless,
and was quickly put out of her suffering by Harry. The buck
instinctively attempted to defend himself with his horns, but seizing
one of them, I deprived him of existence.
We had good reason to be satisfied with the result of Harry's
experiment. He told me that not only the ourebis but several other
deer, if attracted in the same way by their suspicions or curiosity
being aroused, can be thus shot.
We lost no time in cutting open our deer, so as to lighten the loads,
and the better to preserve the meat. Each was as much as a man could
carry on his shoulders. We were unwilling, however, to leave any part
behind. Believing that we could carry them better whole than cut up, we
staggered along with our burdens, fortunately not having far to go. On
arriving at the spot agreed on, we found that our companions had not
returned. We therefore set to work to collect fuel for a fire, and to
cut up one of the animals. So parched had we become, that we could
scarcely refrain from drinking their blood. I had always found,
however, that blood rather increased than diminished thirst. We were
both by this time well versed in wood-craft, and quickly divided the
animal in the most scientific fashion. While we were employed in this
manner, we frequently looked round to ascertain if the two men were
approaching, but they were not to be seen.
Having finished our task, while I was making up the fire, Harry climbed
to the top of the rock, that he might obtain a wider look-out.
"I can see them nowhere," he said, when he came down, "but I caught
sight of an animal which, if I mistake not, is a big lion following our
spoor, or probably it is attracted by the scent of the deer. As he is
coming this way, we must be prepared for him: though he might not
condescend to eat a dead deer, he may take it into his head to carry off
one of us living subjects. He is not likely to give us any undue notice
of his approach."
Harry agreed therefore to keep watch while I continued the operations on
which I was engaged. I soon got some forked sticks, which I ran into
the ground to hold the spits, and on these I placed the venison to
roast, but hungry as I was I felt that without water I could scarcely
get down the food I was cooking. Evening was approaching.
"I say, Fred, if those fellows don't come soon, we must set off by
ourselves, and look out for water. Perhaps some may be found among the
rocks, or if not, we must cut some wooden spades and dig for it. Those
deer wouldn't be inhabiting these parts if water wasn't in the
neighbourhood."
"It will be too late to commence any search tonight," I observed. "It
is already nearly dark, and the chances are that the lion you saw just
now will pounce down upon us, if we go far from the fire. I would
rather endure thirst than run that risk."
"Still we must have water," exclaimed Harry; "but you stay here and look
after the venison, and I'll just wander to a short distance. I do not
suppose the brute will find me; and perhaps, you know, it was not a lion
after all I saw: it might have been a buffalo or a brindled gnu."
"You said positively it was a lion," I remarked; "for your own sake, as
well as mine, I beg that you will not wander from the camp."
Still Harry, pointing to his mouth, insisted on going. Just as he was
about to set off, a loud roar, not twenty paces off, reached our ears.
"What do you say now?" I asked. "You don't mean to assert that that
was the cry either of an ostrich or a bullfrog."
"I wish that it were the latter," he answered; "for then there would be
a chance of finding water. However, I'll stay in camp and try to endure
my thirst until those fellows come back--and they're pretty sure to find
water."
I did not like to say that I was not quite certain on that subject. I
had hopes, however, that even should they have failed to find it, we
should not perish, as I trusted before long we might have a shower of
rain, although none had as yet fallen from the cloudy sky. Some venison
which I had put close to the fire was by this time cooked, but it was
with the greatest difficulty that we could get down even a few
mouthfuls.
"I cannot eat another morsel," cried Harry, putting down his knife. "If
those fellows don't arrive soon, dark as it is, I must set off by myself
to try and find water; depend upon it, there is some not far off, or
that lion would not come here," and he threw himself, utterly overcome,
on the ground.
I tried to cheer him up, and made another attempt to eat some venison,
but had to give it up after nibbling at a piece; yet I felt that I could
have swallowed a hearty meal, if I could have obtained a draught of
water, however tepid and full of insects it might have been.
We were sitting a short distance from the fire with our rifles in our
hands, prepared for the reception of the lion, should he venture to
invade our camp, when Harry exclaimed, "Hark! I hear footsteps: they
must be those of Hans and your black fellow."
We listened; and I hoped that Harry was right.
"Let us shout!" I exclaimed.
We both together raised our voices. Our hail was answered from a
distance. The night air had brought the sound of footsteps much further
than I should have supposed possible. It was some time before, by the
light of the fire, we saw the rough, uncouth figure of Hans, followed by
Jan.
"Have you brought water?" was the first question Harry asked.
"Yah! we have brought water, and have seen plenty of elephants--fine
country for shooting, and we will go there to-morrow."
"Never mind the elephants and shooting now; hand me the water," cried
Harry, eagerly.
Hans gave Harry his skin bottle, and Jan hurried up with his to me. I
swallowed the liquid eagerly, hot and nauseous as it was, full, I
suspect, of living creatures; but it tasted like nectar, and I half
emptied the bottle at a draught.
"Now I am ready for the venison!" cried Harry.
"So am I, indeed," said Hans; "for we haven't had anything to eat once
we left you, and are well-nigh dying of starvation."
"As we were of thirst," I remarked, handing Hans and Jan a large piece
of venison each. They devoured it eagerly, and Harry and I then turned
to and were able to eat a good meal.
"I should like to get some sleep," said Hans; "we will tell you
to-morrow of our adventures."
"We are in no hurry to hear them," said Harry; "but I tell you, one of
us must keep a watch, or we may have an unpleasant visit from a lion,
who is prowling about in the neighbourhood."
"The cowardly brute won't come near us," said Hans, drowsily. "The
chances are it was a rock you saw in the dusk, or it might have been a
jackal."
"But we heard it roar," said Harry.
"Oh, then it was a bullfrog," cried Hans, rolling himself up in his
cloak and lying down.
"Bullfrog or lion, there it is again!" exclaimed Harry, jumping up and
seizing his rifle.
There was no doubt about the matter; though the voice of an ostrich at a
distance may sound like that of a lion, the roar of the king of the
forest is unmistakable when close at hand. Even Hans was convinced, and
was quickly on his feet. It was very certain that we should get no rest
that night, unless we could dispose of the intruder. The lion-skin was
also of value, and we could not allow him to escape with impunity. We
all advanced together, resolved forthwith to shoot the brute; that we
should see him directly we had no doubt. A short distance off, between
our camp-fire and the spot whence the roar proceeded, was a pile of low
rocks, a spur from a neighbouring hill. We had just reached it, when we
caught sight of the lion who had emerged from behind a thicket a little
way ahead. He seemed at once to look upon us as his foes. Had it been
in the day-time, he would probably have slunk away; but night was his
season for activity; and, lashing his tail and again roaring loudly, he
advanced across the open space below the rocks. Now was the critical
moment: should we fail to kill him, he might make a desperate spring and
knock over one of us. It was settled, therefore, that Harry and Jan
should fire first, and then Hans and I, should they fail to kill the
brute: we to try what we could do, they, of course, in the meantime,
reloading.
The grand principle in attacking wild beasts is never to allow the whole
of the party to remain unarmed for a moment. The lion did not appear
quite to like the look of things. He advanced cautiously, showing his
whole vast proportions, his huge shaggy mane, and the afterpart of his
body looking thin and small, but even that was of the size of a
full-grown donkey. Twice he stopped, and each time uttered a tremendous
roar.
"He smells us, if he cannot see us," said Harry.
Still the creature appeared doubtful whether he would spring towards the
suspected point.
"Now, Harry, let's see what you can do," I whispered.
"I shall be glad if I can knock him over the first shot," he answered.
Harry and Jan's rifles went off at the same moment, and we could hear
their bullets strike, but neither brought the lion to the ground. His
rage overcame his fears; and lashing his tail and again roaring, he was
about to spring on us, when Hans and I, taking steady aim at him as he
rose from the ground, sent our leaden messengers of death through his
body. He must have leapt up half-a-dozen feet, falling right over on
his head, where he lay struggling for a few seconds; but before we could
leap over the rocks and get near him, he was dead. We signified our
satisfaction at the victory by a loud shout.
"We shall now sleep soundly," said Hans, giving the animal a kick with
his foot.
We repaired to our camp and made up the fire. Though Hans declared that
there was no necessity for remaining awake, Harry and I agreed to keep
watch and watch until the morning, not feeling at all certain whether
another lion, or perhaps a leopard, might pay us a visit; or a herd of
elephants, buffaloes, or rhinoceroses, might come our way and trample us
to death, while enjoying our balmy slumbers.