Part 12 (2/2)
Several Hottentots ion, and by degrees they all slipped away except Bre out the tusks, and Oe carcass of the ani andall sorts of antics A party of Caffres soon afterward ca up the carcass, and then our travelers walked away in the direction of the camp, to ascertain what mischief had been done
On their return, which, as they stopped occasionally to examine the other animals that had fallen, must have taken an hour, they found that the Hottentots had not coh they had put tubs to catch the running liquor, of which they had taken so large a quantity that so down in a state of senseless intoxication
”I thought they were very officious in going back to assist,” observed the Major; ”a pretty mess we should be in, if ere in an eneuard”
”Yes, indeed,” replied Alexander, turning over the tub of liquor, and spilling it on the ground, much to the sorrow of the Hottentots ere not yet insensible: ”however, ill now let the cask run out, and watch that they get no more”
As the Caffres were busy with the carcasses of the elephants, and most of the Hottentots dead drunk, it was useless to think of proceeding until the following day Indeed, the oxen and horses were all scattered in every direction by the elephants breaking into the caravan, and it would be necessary to collect theave up the idea of proceeding further that day, and taking their guns, walked on to the forest, in the direction where most of the elephants killed had fallen They passed by three carcasses, upon which the Caffres were busily eht presented itself which quite rown female, and close to it was an elephant calf, about three feet and a half high, standing by the side of its dead mother
The poor little anirief, piping sorrowfully, and trying in vain to raise it up with its tiny trunk When our travelers arrived, it ran up to thes, and showing its delight at finding somebody On the trees round the carcass were perched a nu to make a meal of the remains, as soon as the hunters had cut it up, for their beaks could not penetrate the tough hide Our travelers re theelephant, which made several attempts to induce its prostrate , however, that all its efforts were ineffectual, when our travelers quitted the spot to go back, it voluntarily followed them to the caravans, where it remained, probably quite asabout as insensible as its mother
It may be as well here to observe, that the little animal did not live beyond a very few days after, fro, Bremen and Swanevelt returned with tusks of the bull elephant, which were very large, and the Caffre warriors also ca to the country were too busy eating for the present The chief of the Caffre warriors brought in the tufts of the other elephant's tails and the teeth, and the men were loaded with the flesh As soon as the Caffres found that the oxen and horses had been frightened away, and perceived that the Hottentots were not in a situation to go after them, they thren their meat and went in pursuit Before dark the cattle were all brought back; the fires were lighted, and the Caffres did not give over their repast until near ht
Our travelers did not think it advisable, as the Hottentots were now no protection, to go to bed; theyover the adventures of the day While they were conversing, Beguns of uneasiness, and at last clung round the Major with an evident strong fear
”Why, what can be the htened her”
”Yes, that is evident; perhaps there is an elephant near; shall aken Breum chattered, and her teeth also chattered with fear, as she clung closer and closer Little O by, looked very earnestly at the baboon, and at last touching the shoulder of Alexander to attract his attention, he first pointed to the baboon, i on his hands and feet, irowl of an aniun; ”the lad htens the baboon”
”Lion!” said the Major to O out his paper and pencil, in a second almost he drew the foret your guns ready,” said the Major, starting on his legs; ”it can't be far off; confound the uuon and hid herself
They had just awakened up the two Hottentots, when a roar was given so loud and tremendous, that it appeared like thunder, and was reverberated from the rocks opposite for some seconds
No one but those who have been in the country, and have fallen in with this anie state, can have any idea of the appalling effect of a lion's roar What is heard in a ive but a faint conception of it In the darkness of the night it is almost impossible to tell from what quarter the sound proceeds; this arises fro his round when he roars, so that his voice rolls over the earth, as it were like a breaker, and the sound is carried along with all its tremendous force It is indeed a ht Alexander, who had never heard one before
The Caffres had wakened up at the noise, and our travelers and the Hottentots now fired their guns off in every direction to scare away the anies had this effect, and in the course of half an hour every thing was again quiet
”Well,” observed Alexander, ”this is the first time that I ever heard the roar of a lion in its wild state; and I can assure you that I shall never forget it as long as I live”
”It is not the first time I have heard it,” replied the Major; ”but I ht, and the reverberation, I never heard it so awful before But you, Swinton, who have traveled in the Namaqua-land, have, of course”
”Yes, I have, but very seldoular that we have not heard the lion before this, is it not?” said Alexander
”The lion is often near without giving you notice,” replied Swinton; ”but I do not think that there are many lions in the country we have traversed; it is too populous On the other side of the mountains, if we return that e shall find them in plenty Wherever the antelopes are in herds, wherever you find the wild horse, zebra, and giraffe, you will as certainly find the lion, for he preys upon them”