Page 137 - Adventures in Africa

before. Two others, however, were killed before the
herd made their escape through the pass towards

which they were directing their course.
Had we not driven away the lions, probably many
more would have been killed by them* W e at once

carried off the five which were destined for provision­
ing our party, and loaded our waggons with their

skins and horns.
W e were now approaching a part of the country
where we hoped to find a greater number of elephants

than we had yet met with, our chief object being; to
obtain their tusks; although nothing came amiss,

rhinoceros horns, skins, or ostrich feathers ; the latter
especially, from their small bulk, were really of more
value than elephant tusks.

W e were now crossing a wide plain with rocks.
Here and there were ant-hills, by the side of each of
which grew a dark-leaved tree called the u Mollopie.”

Near our camp was a rain-pool, at which our animals
were watered. Jan here captured a large frog in
which, when he cut it open, for the purpose of pre­

paring it for cookings he found a whole mouse, two
or three ants, and several other insects.

In the morning our people informed us that they
had heard the roaring of a lion during the night at a
neighbouring pool; and as there was a great likeli­

hood of his paying a visit to the camp, to make a
feast ofF our oxen, we determined to dispatch him
before going out to hunt.

As we approached the pool, the noise was again
heard.
“ He must be in a thicket close by,” exclaimed Harry,

k a