CHAPTER X.
THE LION IN THE TRAP.
There was something singular in the lion seeking shelter in so unusual aplace; but it showed his sagacity. There was no other cover withinconvenient distance, and to have reached any bush that would haveafforded him concealment, since the passage of the locusts, would havebeen difficult. The mounted hunters could easily have overtaken him, hadhe attempted to run off. He was aware that the house was uninhabited. Hehad been prowling around it all the night--perhaps within it--andtherefore knew what sort of a place it was.
The brute's instinct was correct. The walls of the house would protecthim from the guns of his enemies at a distance; and for these toapproach near would be his advantage and their danger.
An odd incident occurred as the lion entered the kraal. There was alarge window in one end of the house. Of course it was not glazed--itnever had been. A glass window is a rarity in these parts. A strongwooden shutter alone closed it. This was still hanging on its hinges,but in the hurried "flitting," the window had been left open. The dooralso had been standing ajar. As the lion sprang in at the latter, astring of small foxy wolf-like creatures came pouring out through theformer, and ran with all their might across the plain. They werejackals!
As it afterwards appeared, one of the oxen had either been chased intothe house by lions or hyenas, and killed there. His carcass had beenoverlooked by the larger carnivora, and the cunning jackals had beenmaking a quiet breakfast upon it, when so unceremoniously disturbed.
The entrance of their terrible king in such angry mood, by the door,caused the fox-wolves to beat a quick retreat by the window; and theappearance of the horsemen without had still further frightened thesecowardly brutes, so that they ran away from the kraal at top speed, andnever halted until they were out of sight!
The three hunters could not restrain a laugh; but their tone wassuddenly changed by another incident that happened almost at the samemoment.
Von Bloom had brought with him his two fine dogs, to assist in drivingback the cattle.
During the short halt the party had made by the spring, these hadfastened upon a half-eaten carcass behind the walls; and, beingextremely hungry, had stuck to it, even after the horsemen had riddenoff. Neither of the dogs had seen the lion, until the moment when thesavage brute charged forward, and was making for the kraal. The shots,the growling of the lion, and the loud wings of the vultures as theyflew off affrighted, told the dogs that something was going on in front,at which they ought to be present; and, forsaking their pleasant meal,both came bounding over the walls.
They reached the open space in front, just as the lion leaped into thedoor; and without hesitation the brave noble animals rushed on, andfollowed him inside the house.
For some moments there was heard a confused chorus of noises--thebarking and worrying of the dogs, the growling and roaring of the lion.Then a dull sound followed as of some heavy object dashed against thewall. Then came a mournful howl--another, another--a noise like thecrackling of bones--the "purr" of the great brute with its loud roughbass--and then a deep silence. The struggle was over. This was evident,as the dogs no longer gave tongue. Most likely they were killed.
The hunters remained watching the door with feelings of intense anxiety.The laugh had died upon their lips, as they listened to those hideoussounds, the signs of the fearful combat. They called their dogs by name.They hoped to see them issue forth, even if wounded. But no. The dogscame not forth--they never came forth--they were dead!
A long-continued silence followed the noise of the conflict. Von Bloomcould no longer doubt that his favourite and only dogs had been killed.
Excited by this new misfortune he almost lost prudence. He was about torush forward to the door, where he might deliver his fire close to thehated enemy, when a bright idea came into the brain of Swartboy; and theBushman was heard calling out,--
"Baas! baas! we shut him up! we close da skellum up!"
There was good sense in this suggestion--there was plausibility in it.Von Bloom saw this; and, desisting from his previous intention, hedetermined to adopt Swartboy's plan.
But how was it to be executed? The door still hung upon its hinges, asalso the window-shutter. If they could only get hold of these, and shutthem fast, they would have the lion secure, and might destroy him attheir leisure.
But how to shut either door or window in safety? That was the difficultythat now presented itself.
Should they approach either, the lion would be certain to see them fromwithin; and, enraged as he now was, would be sure to spring upon them.Even if they approached on horseback to effect their purpose, they wouldnot be much safer. The horses would not stand quiet while they stretchedout to lay hold of latch or handle. All three of the animals werealready dancing with excitement. They knew the lion was inside, anoccasional growl announced his presence there--they would not approacheither door or window with sufficient coolness; and their stamping andsnorting would have the effect of bringing the angry beast out uponthem.
It was clear, then, that to shut either door or window would be anoperation of great danger. So long as the horsemen were in open ground,and at some distance from the lion, they had no cause to fear; butshould they approach near and get entangled among the walls, some one ofthem would be most likely to fall a victim to the ferocious brute.
Low as may be the standard of a Bushman's intellect, there is a speciespeculiar to him in which he appears to excel. In all matters ofhunter-craft, his intelligence, or instinct you might almost call it, isquite a match for the more highly-developed mind of the Caucasian. Thisarises, no doubt, from the keen and frequent exercise of thoseparticular faculties,--keen and frequent, because his very existenceoften depends on their successful employment.
Huge ill-shapen head that Swartboy carried on his shoulders, there wasan ample stock of brains in it; and a life of keen endeavour to keep hisstomach supplied had taught him their exercise. At that momentSwartboy's brains came to the relief of the party.
"Baas!" he said, endeavouring to restrain the impatience of his master,"vyacht um bige, mein baas! Leave it to da ole Bushy to close da door.He do it."
"How?" inquired Von Bloom.
"Vyacht um bige, mein baas! no long to wait,--you see."
All three had ridden up together within less than an hundred yards ofthe kraal. Von Bloom and Hendrik sat silent, and watched the proceedingsof the Bushman.
The latter drew from his pocket a clue of small cord, and, havingcarefully uncoiled it, attached one end to an arrow. He then rode up towithin thirty yards of the house, and dismounted--not directly oppositethe entrance, but a little to one side--so that the face of the woodendoor, which was fortunately but three-quarters open, was thus fairbefore him. Keeping the bridle over his arm, he now bent his bow, andsent the arrow into the woodwork of the door. There it was, stickingnear the edge, and just under the latch!
As soon as Swartboy delivered the shaft, he had leaped back into hissaddle--to be ready for retreat in case the lion should charge out. Hestill, however, kept hold of the string, one end of which was attachedto the arrow.
The "thud" of the arrow, as it struck the door, had drawn the attentionof the lion. Of course, none of them saw him, but his angry growl toldthem that it was so. He did not show himself, however, and was againsilent.
Swartboy now drew the string taut,--first felt it with a steady pull;and then, satisfied of its strength, gave it a stronger jerk, andbrought the door to. The latch acted beautifully, and the door remainedshut even after the strain was taken off the cord.
To have opened the door now the lion must have had the sagacity to liftthe latch, or else must have broken through the thick, strongplanks--neither of which things was to be feared.
But the window still remained open, and through it the lion could easilyleap out. Swartboy, of course, designed closing it in the same manner ashe had done the door.
But now arose a particular danger. He had only one piece of cord. Thatwas attached to the arrow
that still stuck fast. How was he to detachand get possession of it?
There appeared to be no other way but by going up to the door andcutting it from the shaft. In this lay the danger; for, should the lionperceive him and rush out by the window, it would be all over with theBushman.
Like most of his race, Swartboy was more cunning than brave--though hewas far from being a coward. Still he was by no means inclined at thatmoment to go up to the door of the kraal.
The angry growls from within would have made a stouter heart thanSwartboy's quail with fear.
In this dilemma Hendrik came to his relief. Hendrik had conceived a wayof getting possession of the string, without going near the door!
Calling to Swartboy to be on his guard, he rode within thirty yards ofthe entrance--but on the other side from where Swartboy was--and therehalted. At the place there stood a post with several forks upon it, thathad been used as a bridle-post.
Hendrik dismounted, hooked his rein over one of these forks; rested hisyaeger across another; and then, sighting the shaft of the arrow, pulledtrigger. The rifle cracked, the broken stick was seen to fly out fromthe door, and the string was set free!
All were ready to gallop off; but the lion, although he growled fiercelyon hearing the shot, still lay close.
Swartboy now drew in the string; and, having adjusted it to a fresharrow, moved round so as to command a view of the window. In a fewminutes the shaft had cut through the air and stuck deep into theyielding wood, and then the shutter swung round on its hinges, and wasdrawn close.
All three now dismounted, ran silently and rapidly up, and secured bothdoor and shutter with strong rheins of raw hide.
"Hurrah! the lion was caged."