e lion, as proof that they had accomplished
the errand on which they had been despatched. They must follow the lion
until he fell; and, curious to witness the result, our adventurers
followed them.

Slowly at first, and with an apparent show of unconcern, the lion had
moved away, though gradually increasing his speed.

The arrow could not have done much more than penetrate his thick hide;
and, fearing that he might not die, Willem expressed some regret that he
had not given the brute a bullet from his roer.

"I am very glad you did not," exclaimed Hans, on hearing Willem's
remark. "You would have spoilt all our interest in the pursuit. I want
to see the effect of their poisoned arrow, and learn with my own eyes if
a lion can be so easily killed."

The wounded animal retreated for about a mile, then stopped and
commenced roaring loudly. Something was evidently amiss with him, as he
was seen turning as upon a pivot, and otherwise acting in a very
eccentric manner.

The poison was beginning to do its work, and each moment the agony of
the animal seemed to be on the increase. He laid himself down and
rolled over and over; he then reared himself upon his hind legs, all the
while roaring like mad. Once he appeared to stand upon his head. After
a time he attacked a tree growing near, and, tearing the bark both with
claws and teeth, left the branches stained with his blood. He seemed as
if he wished to rend the whole world!

Never had our adventurers, in all their hunting experience, been
witnesses to such terrific death-struggles.

The sufferings of the great beast were frightful to behold, and awakened
within the spectators a feeling of pity. They would have released it
from its misery by a shot, had they not been desirous to learn all they
could of the effects of the poison.

From the time the lion ceased to retreat, till the moment when he ceased
to live, about fifteen minutes elapsed. During that time the spectators
saw a greater variety of acrobatic feats than they had ever witnessed in
one scene before. As soon as the creature was declared dead, the
Bushmen cut off its paws and carried them back to the kraal.

CHAPTER SIXTY.

A SUDDEN REVERSE OF FORTUNE.

On the third morning after leaving the Bushmen's kraal, our adventurers
were awakened by the loud cries of a troop of black monkeys that
appeared in a neighbouring grove.

Something was giving them trouble. This could be told by the cries,