d to secure them. Scarcely had I done so when,
looking round, I saw a lion and lioness--probably the same which had
pursued the gnus--approaching the pool. Strange to say, I felt but
little fear of them. Still I thought it unwise to stand in their path
should they be on their way to drink, as I had no doubt they were. I
accordingly scrambled along the rock to a high point, whence I could
look down upon them as they passed. On seeing me they stopped, and
seemed to be consulting together whether they should attack me. "I will
be ready for you, old fellows," I said aloud, as I reloaded my rifle and
carefully rammed down the bullet. "If you do not interfere with me, I
will let you enjoy your draught unmolested; but if you attack me, look
out for the consequences--Ha! ha! ha!" My own voice struck my ear as
strangely loud and wild. The effect was to make the lions decide on
letting me alone; and while they went on towards the water, I scrambled
down from the rock, and began to make the best of my way towards where I
had left Natty.

I hurried on, though I scarcely expected to reach the hut before dark.
Still I hoped that even at night I might find my way. I will not say
that I was very sanguine about it, as the mirage had deceived me, and
often made objects appeal very different to what they really were. The
sun in a short time sunk behind me. Still, as long as I could move over
the ground, I determined to persevere. I was keeping, I believed, in a
direct line. At length the stars came out, and the moon rose and shed
her pale light over the scene. I knew that lions and other wild beasts
will seldom attack a person while the moon is shining. This encouraged
me to proceed. The stars, whose brilliancy even the moon could scarcely
dim, assisted me in steering my course. I own, however, that now and
then I cast an anxious look over my shoulder, lest the lion and the
lioness might be following me. Where the ground was open I hoped that I
might be able to discover them, should they approach; but in some places
it was rocky, scattered over with thick bushes, within which beasts of
prey might lurk. I was somewhat heavily laden, with my water-bottle and
birds. While suffering from thirst I had no inclination to eat, but now
I began to feel the pangs of hunger, and my knees trembled from the
exertion I had been for so long making. I therefore sat down with my
back against a tree to rest, and to eat the few mouthfuls