We made large fires to keep them off, but they often made
us tremble when they came near to us."
"Did you ever meet with one in the day-time?" said William.
"Yes, sir; we often saw them, but they never attacked us, and we were
too much afraid to fire at them. Once we met one face to face. We had
killed an antelope called a hartebeest, and, with our muskets on our
shoulders, were running to secure it. Just as we came up to the spot,
we beard a roar, and found ourselves not ten yards from a lion, who was
lying on the top of the beast we had killed, his eyes flashing fire at
us, and half raising himself, as if ready for a spring. We all took to
our heels as fast as we could. I never looked back till I was out of
breath: but the lion was content with our running away, and did not
take the trouble to follow us. Well, sir, we had been travelling, we
really hardly knew where, but certainly in a northerly direction, for
three weeks, and were quite worn out: we now all agreed that we had
done a very foolish thing, and would gladly have gone back again. For
my part, I declare that I was willing to lie down and die, if I could
have so done, and I became quite indifferent to the roaring of the
lions, and felt as if I should be glad if one would have made a meal of
me.
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