CHAPTER THREE.
A BATTUE OF LIONS.
It was well on in the afternoon when the travellers perceived a darkbelt rising above the plain at a long distance off, but directly ontheir line of march. A glad sight to their eyes, as they could tell itto be timber, and knew they would there find the _vley_ [Note 1] ofwhich their guide had fore-warned them. The prospect of water, shade,and rest, all at the same time, and all so much needed, inspired them torenewed speed; and the ponderous waggons seemed to move more lightlyalong, while their conductors were merrier--drivers, after jambok men,and forelopers. Even the dumb animals, becoming infected with the samespirit, partook of the general rejoicing, as though they also knew thatrelief was near.
Yet was it far off as ever. The promise that cheered them was not to befulfilled. On reaching the timber at the point where the vley was, orshould have been, they found this too dried up, as all the others. Inits bed were only pebbles and white sand, from which were reflected therays of the setting sun, as from a sheet of frosted snow! So much fortheir hopes of water; and as for shade, the trees proved to be _mopanes_[Note 2] whose leaves grow vertically on the branches, and, like theeucalypti of Australia, afford no more protection from the sun thanwould a network of wire!
Nor was this the worst. Scarce had they come to a stop by the wood'sedge, when they heard issuing out of it a noise well-known both tothemselves and their animals, and by both equally dreaded. For it wasthe roar of the lion; not one lion, but more like a score of them,roaring together, as if each was doing its best to outroar all the rest.The place appeared to be infested with the formidable brutes--a verylair of them; and the fearful fracas they were making caused horses,oxen, cows--in short, every four-footed creature in the train to danceaffrightedly about as though no longer feeling fatigue. To ordinarytravellers the noise, with its attendant dangers, would have beenappalling; and even among them there was momentary alarm. But they wereBoers of the Transvaal, of courage proverbial and historic; still more,Vee-Boers, who are as much hunters as graziers, and little regard to thelion's roar. It was only because of there being such a chorus of it,that they were for a time taken back.
Soon recovering themselves, however, there was a general rush towardsthe waggons, in which they habitually kept their _roers_ [Note 3]; when,each armed himself with one of these long guns, front was made to thefoe, still giving tongue, though as yet unseen.
Not for long were the lions chary about putting in an appearance. Soontheir tawny skins were seen glistening among the trunks of the mopaneszigzagging from point to point, and at each slant drawing nigher to thespot where the waggons had drawn up.
It was now seen that there were quite twenty of them, or more; while theintonation of their cries--full of fury and menace--told of the intendedattack. Had they made it on the moment, and simultaneously, it wouldhave been all up with the travellers--at the very least would there havebeen wholesale destruction among their animals.
But, luckily for them, the lion does not always attack on the instant;more often making approach progressively, and with the caution of thecommon cat, as most others of the _felidae_. Probably had the prey theycontemplated springing on been a party of naked natives, with no otherdefence than their skin shields, the _leeuws_ [Note 4] would have acteddifferently. But seeing before them that strange array--the waggonswith their white tilts, a spectacle in all likelihood new to them--itwas but natural they should feel shy about beginning the assault. Itcould not be actual fear, a feeling unknown to the African lion, inthose districts where it is unaccustomed to meet the white man, with hisdeath-dealing weapons; more like was it mystification at sight of thehuge vehicles larger than elephants, and which, for all the lions knew,might be also living things, and far more dangerous.
Whether from this, or whatever cause, the great felines hesitated tomake approach, though gradually drawing nigher, as the confidence becamestrengthened by their receiving no hurt from the singular monsters thathad intruded upon their domain.
This up to a certain moment; then they were saluted by a sound louderthan that they were themselves making, as the Vee-Boers poured a volleyupon them, which silenced half their number, by dropping them dead intheir tracks.
The rest did not retreat, but stood their ground, to all appearance moremystified than ever. They had heard thunder, and seen lightning, butnever with an accompaniment of smoke, such as they now saw, wonderingwhat it all meant. And while still unresolved, and hesitating how toact, the thick blue mist, which for a while had screened them, driftedaside, to be replaced by another and similar screen as the reloaded rawblazed forth again.
After the second volley, only two or three live lions remained upon theground; these seeming wounded, as they went limping off among themopanes.
For the Vee-Boers it was a victory easier than they had anticipated; andover Royalty itself--a _battue_ of grandest game, the kings of beasts.
On gathering up the slain, they found fifteen of the _leeuws_, young andold, male and female, six being lions, the rest lionesses.
The reason for so many having congregated there was the drought. Uptill a late period there had been wafer in the vley, making it arendezvous for buffaloes, antelopes, and other ruminants; many skeletonsof which lay around, with bones clean picked--the work of these samelions, and other carnivora. But in time instinct had directed thecud-chewing animals to repair to other places, where the water was ofsurer supply; while the predatory species, more able to bear thirst, andhunger too, had stayed behind. Hence such a number found crowdingtogether; and their having been for some time without food--indeed,half-famished, as it proved on examination of their carcases--willaccount for their uniting to attack the travellers--an attempt socleverly and completely foiled.
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Note 1. "Vley." The synonym in Dutch for a lake of limited extent--apond, or pool.
Note 2. The "mopane" is a tree belonging to the family of "banhinias,"with pinnate leaves set point upwards, so that the sun glints downbetween, and scarce any shade is given by the tree, even when in fullfoliage.
Note 3. "Roer." The sort of gun in common use among the South AfricanDutch. It is a single barrel of great length and carry far.
Note 4. "Leeuw." The Boers' name for the "king of beasts."