de, and lay
down; these were John Stofolus, Hendric, and Ruyter. In a few minutes an
ox came out by the gate of the kraal and walked round the back of it.
Hendric got up and drove him in again, and then went back to his
fireside and lay down. Hendric and Ruyter lay on one side of the fire
under one blanket, and John Stofolus lay on the other. At this moment I
was sitting taking some barley-broth; our fire was very small, and the
night was pitch-dark and windy. Owing to our proximity to the native
village the wood was very scarce, the Bakalahari having burned it all in
their fires.

Suddenly the appalling and murderous voice of an angry, bloodthirsty
lion burst upon my ear within a few yards of us, followed by the
shrieking of the Hottentots. Again and again the murderous roar of
attack was repeated. We heard John and Ruyter shriek "The lion! the
lion!" still, for a few moments, we thought he was but chasing one of
the dogs round the kraal; but, next instant, John Stofolus rushed into
the midst of us almost speechless with fear and terror, his eyes
bursting from their sockets, and shrieked out, "The lion! the lion! He
has got Hendric; he dragged him away from the fire beside me. I struck
him with the burning brands upon his head, but he would not let go his
hold. Hendric is dead! Oh God! Hendric is dead! Let us take fire and
seek him." The rest of my people rushed about, shrieking and yelling as
if they were mad. I was at once angry with them for their folly, and
told them that if they did not stand still and keep quiet the lion would
have another of us; and that very likely there was a troop of them. I
ordered the dogs, which were nearly all fast, to be made loose, and the
fire to be increased as far as could be. I then shouted Hendric's name,
but all was still. I told my men that Hendric was dead, and that a
regiment of soldiers could not now help him, and, hunting my dogs
forward, I had every thing brought within the cattle-kraal, when we
lighted our fire and closed the entrance as well as we could.

My terrified people sat round the fire with guns in their hands till the
day broke, still fancying that every moment the lion would return and
spring again into the midst of us. When the dogs were first let go, the
stupid brutes, as dogs often prove when most required, instead of going
at the lion, rushed fiercely on one another, and fought desperately for
some minutes. After this they got his wind, and, going at him, di