“Does he mean a gnoo?” said Alexander.

Omrah shook his head, and, raising his hands up, motioned that the animal was twice as big.

“Come here, Bremen; what print of a hoof is this?” said Swinton.

“Buffalo, sir,—­fresh print—­was here last night.”

“That’s an animal that I am anxious to slay,” said the Major.

“You must be very careful that he does not slay you,” replied Swinton; “for it is a most dangerous beast, almost as much so as a lion.”

“Well, we must not return without one, at all events,” said Alexander; “nor without a lion also, as soon as we can find one alone; but those we have seen in the daytime have always been in threes and fours, and I think the odds too great with our party; but the first single lion we fall in with, I vote we try for his skin.”

“Agreed,” replied the Major; “what do you say, Swinton?”

“Why, I say agreed also; but as I came here to look for other things rather than lions, I should say, as far as I am concerned, that the best part of valor would be discretion.  However, depend upon it, if you go after a lion I shall be with you:  I have often been at the destruction of them when with Dutch boors; but then recollect we have no horses to spare, and therefore we must not exactly follow their method.”

“How do they hunt the lions, then?” inquired Alexander.

“They hunt them more for self-defense than for pleasure,” replied Swinton; “but on the outskirts of the colony the lions are so destructive to the herds, that the colonists must destroy them.  They generally go out, ten or twelve of them, with their long guns, not fewer if possible; and you must recollect that these boors are not only very cool, brave men, but most excellent shots.  I fear you will not find that number among our present party, as, with the exception of our three selves and Breman and Swanevelt, I do not believe that there is one man here who would face a lion; so that when we do attack one, it will be at a disadvantage.

“The Dutch boors, as soon as they have ascertained where the lion lies, approach the bushes to within a moderate distance, and then alighting, they make all their horses fast together with their bridles and halters.  In this there is danger, as sometimes the lion will spring out upon them at once, and, if so, probably not only horses but men are sacrificed.  If the lion remains quiet, which is usually the case, they advance toward him within thirty paces or thereabouts, as they know that he generally makes a spring at half that distance; but as they advance, they back their horses toward him, as a shield in front of them, knowing that the lion will spring upon the horses.

“As they move forward, the lion at first looks at them very calmly, and very often wags his tail as if in a playful humor; but when they approach nearer, he growls, as if to warn them off.  Then, as they continue to approach, he gradually draws up his hind legs under his body, ready for a spring at them as soon as they are within distance, and you see nothing of him except his bristling mane and his eyes glaring like fire; for he is then fully enraged, and in the act of springing the next moment.