74 FIRST LION SEEN.

nately could be readily obtained by scraping away the sand ; we were not even obliged to do this, as some Arabs who had been there lately had done it for us, and had moreover made reservoirs of mud in which to put the water for their beasts to drink. Plenty of fine green grass grew in the river's bed, and coarse high grass lined either bank.

On the way to Toadelook we saw tctcl {Biibalis manritanica) for the first time. There are two varieties of this antelope, both of which were frequently encountered and shot. They are ugly, ungainly-looking beasts, but their flesh was the best to eat of all the antelopes we came across. In South Africa, where both varieties are found, it is called the hartebecst.

Immediately on their arrival, my brothers took their light rifles, and made for the marsh, thinking by chance to find some gazelle or ///// returning from the water. They had just arrived at the watering-place when they espied a lion, lying on the top of a slight eminence, evidently on the look out for any animal coming to slake its thirst. As the lion had not perceived them, and their rifles were of very small calibre, one of them lay down concealed under a bush, about a hundred yards from the lion, while the other made for the caravan, which had just arrived, to fetch a heavy rifle. He returned as quickly as possible, with a ten-bore, and out of breath from running. The lion on the top of the mound was partly hidden from them, and my brother was unsteady from running in the heat : so that, what with that, and the excitement of firing at the first lion seen, he either missed him altogether, or wounded him very slightly. With an angry growl he started up, and trotted towards them. They reserved their fire till he was at close quarters, in order to make sure of him. Just as they were going to fire, he turned off suddenly at right angles ; and, before cither of them could get a second shot, he disappeared in grass eight or