der "assegai" of
the Bechuana, the lion has little or no fear of man.

Whether the one, before the eyes of our party, was naturally a brave
one, could not yet be told. He was one with a huge black mane, or
"schwart-fore life," as the boors term it; and these are esteemed the
fiercest and most dangerous. The "yellow-maned,"--for there is
considerable variety in the colour of the Cape lions--is regarded as
possessing less courage; but there is some doubt about the truth of
this. The young "black-manes" may often be mistaken for the true yellow
variety, and their character ascribed to him to his prejudice,--for the
swarthy colour of the mane only comes after the lion is many years of
age.

Whether the "schwart-fore life" was a fierce and brave one, Von Bloom
did not stay to think about. It was evident that the edge had been
taken off the animal's appetite. It was evident he did not meditate an
attack; and that had the horsemen chosen to make a detour, and ride
peacefully away, they might have continued their journey without ever
seeing or hearing of him again.

But the field-cornet had no such intention. He had lost his precious
oxen and cattle. _That_ lion had pulled down some of them, at least.
The Dutch blood was up, and if the beast had been the strongest and
fiercest of his tribe, he was bound to be brought out of that bush.

Ordering the others to remain where they were, Von Bloom advanced on
horseback until within about fifty paces of where the lion lay. Here he
drew up, coolly dismounted, passed the bridle over his arm, stuck his
loading-rod into the ground, and knelt down behind it.

You will fancy he would have been safer to have kept his saddle, as the
lion cannot overtake a horse. True; but the lion would have been safer
too. It is no easy matter to fire correctly from any horse, but when
the mark happens to be a grim lion, he is a well-trained steed that will
stand sufficiently firm to admit of a true aim. A shot from the saddle
under such circumstances is a mere chance shot; and the field-cornet was
not in the mood to be satisfied with a chance shot. Laying his roer
athwart the loading-rod, and holding the long barrel steady against it,
he took deliberate aim through the ivory sights.

During all this time the lion had not stirred. The bush was between him
and the hunter; but he could hardly have believed that it sufficed to
conceal him. Far from it. His yellow flanks were distinctly visi