Part 37 (1/2)

”About forty miles, I should think, and we had better push on as fast as we, can; for although the river will contain water, the pools in the desert between us and the river will soon be dried up The cattle, however, are still very weak, and, as I have stated, we have lost all our relays But you ons, and atch and keep off the wild beasts We have been obliged to fire our guns all night long since your absence, and have burned one of the spare poles of the wagons to cook our victuals”

Every thing is coings in the wagons they found their resting-places hard, after sleeping in co passed their nights in the wild desert, their ons were a luxury that was fully appreciated Returning thanks to Heaven for their preservation, Alexander and the Major slept soundly tillthat the latter was often half roused by the ihted at the return of her ht the oxen were yoked, and they proceeded on their journey

There was no want of game; indeed they were so plentiful, that they shot theht they had e of rain again fell, and they passed a very uncoht no fires, fro, however, was better than the want of water; and early in the ain yoked their oxen, and, after a hard day's toil, were rejoiced to perceive at a distance the trees which lined the banks of the Modder River The sight was hailed with joy by the Hottentots, who shouted aloud; for they considered their dangers and difficulties to be over, now that they were approaching to the boundaries of the colony

CHAPTER XXVIII

As the cattle required soh, our travelers resolved to ree was fine and the gaboks were to be seen in every direction, and quaggas, bonteboks, and several other varieties of antelopes, were in profusion over the now undulating country Neither were our travelers sorry to have soh every mile that they drew nearer to the Cape made them more anxious to return

As usual, the caravan was halted on a rising ground, at some distance fro the day were concealed, and during the night prowled on its banks, to spring upon the animals which came down for water As there was now plenty of wood, the fires were again lighted at night, and the oxen driven in and tied up

During the day, the animals reveled on the luxurious pasture, and in a week had becoood condition

Every day our travelers went out to hunt for a supply of provisions, and never returned without more than was sufficient Swinton was anxious to possess one or two e very straight horns, which at a distance appear as one, has given rise to the fabulous animal the unicorn, which is now one of the supporters of the royal ar the one that our travelers found with its horns pierced through the lion which had attacked it The horses being now fresh and in good heart, Alexander and the Major went in pursuit of this animal very often, but without success, as the chase was continually interrupted by the herds of ostriches and other ga discovered with the telescope that three of these geround, they set off, accompanied by a portion of the Hottentots on foot, ere desired to go round, so as to drive the ani Adam were of the party, and they had et on the other side of the garound, and, descending on the plain, stopped for a while looking at their pursuers, while the horsemen advanced toward them in the opposite direction A shot froht one of these splendid aniround, while the others fled off to a distance, so as to give no hopes of again co up with them; and the party on foot, as well as the horseemsbok lay dead

As Swinton wanted the animal for a specimen, it was placed on the back of the horse which Omrah rode as usual, and one of the Hottentots went off with it to the camp, which was notwhether they should eht at a distance, or try for soame, when they perceived three lions not far froround; and suddenly the horses, froive them time to recover their wind, broke loose froalloped away toward the cae male lion had detached hi slowly toward the party

As soon as they perceived the approach of the lion, which they had not at first, they all seized their guns; but being wholly unprepared for such a sudden attack, there was a great deal of confusion; the Major crying out, ”Let no one fire till I tell hi the Hottentots, all of whom, except Bremen, appeared to be at their wits' ends When within fifty yards, the liontheuns to their shoulders; the retreat was general in every direction, and not a shot was fired

All, however, did not escape; Big Adaainst O behind him, had fallen over the boy, and they were both flat on their backs, when the lionproudly at his flying ene Adaain his feet; but perceiving this, the aniain, set its foot upon his breast, and in this attitude again looked proudly round him, as if confident of his superiority

Oh to lie still, had yet his eyes sufficiently opened to see as going on; and as the lion appeared to be looking at the scattered party, in a direction away froet further off, hoping that he ht escape unperceived The lion, however, heard the rustling, and turning round growled at hi Adam's feet were turned toward O down at full length upon Big Adam's body, with his hind-quarters upon the Hottentot's face, so that he not only secured his prisoner, but watched Omrah, who lay about three yards from him

In the ined; they considered that Big Adaood ai the anination upon themselves; but Swinton cried out not to fire on any account ”The aniry,” said Swinton ”If let alone, he will probably walk aithout doing thenal for their destruction”

The advice of Swinton was considered good, especially as it was backed by that of Brery, and that, by the way in which he, moved his tail, he was evidentlyelse

But in the ht was enor Ada over his face prevented hile to get his head clear The consequence of his struggling was a severe bite on the leg, inflicted on poor Adaht at him as a cat would at a mouse, to prevent its escape, or because it was not quite dead However, Big Adaed his head that he could now breathe; and as the party kept crying out to hih nearly suffocated with the enorht of the ani all this ti the blood which flowed froht as well try another roll over, and being on his back, he turned over on his face away fro Adam, walked up to Omrah, and, to the horror of our travelers, took up the boy by his waistcloth, and, carrying hi Adaain took up his position on his body; noever, with his paws upon the Hottentot's breast, so that he ht keep Oh not tothe time that the lion carried hie in the position of the lion occasioned our travelers and the party to walk round, so as to be able to watch the countenance of the aniht be in The Major and Alexander beca to the attack, but Swinton persuaded them not to do so until the last moment

The lion now put its fore-paw upon the Hottentot's ain stopped his breath; this occasioned another struggle on the part of Big Ada hi the lion reain The taste of blood appeared pleasant to the lion, for it continued biting the ar from the shoulder to the hand, and as the blood flowed froain it licked its paw clean, and then, with its glaring eyes fixed intently upon the Hottentot's face, it smelt him first on one side and then on the other, and appeared only to be waiting for a return of appetite to commence a deliberate meal upon the poor fellow's body

In theabout seventy yards distant, waiting for the signal to attack, when Breer, sir; the blood has given him an appetite We must now drive him away, or they will both be killed”

”I think so too,” replied Swinton; ”let us first try if we can disturb hiry; that will be the best way We ether, and keep hallooing at him”

This advice was followed; they retreated a hundred yards, and then all shouted at once, and after that the Hottentots hallooed and bawled to the lion This had the effect intended: the lion rose from the bodies and advanced toward the party, who stood still hallooing at hiuns The lion looked steadfastly at the a few steps, it turned back to face them; the whole party continued on the sa so as to irritate hi so as to let the animal suppose that they were afraid of him

When the lion had continued for a few ht round, and went away at a hand canter, and our travelers i Ada