the antelope, they now returned to camp. As it was very
probable that the lion would come back as soon as darkness set in, an
additional fire was lighted. The horses were secured to the waggon
wheels, and the oxen were brought in and also made fast. The antelope
flesh was cooked, and eaten with good appetites by the travellers.
Scarcely was supper concluded when several roars were heard, some on one
side at a short distance, some on the other, close to the camp.
Directly afterwards the horrid chorus was increased by the howl of
hyenas and the crying of jackals, more numerous than at any previous
occasion during the journey. There was no necessity to order the
Hottentots and Kaffirs to be on the watch; for they all well knew the
risk they ran of an attack from the lions. Even the animals seemed
aware of their danger. The men replied to the roars by shrieks and
cries, every now and then firing off a rifle in the direction from which
the sounds proceeded. Hendricks, however, considering that three of the
party were sufficient to keep watch, ordered the remainder to lie down,
either under or close to the waggon, and thus the first part of the
night passed unpleasantly by.

CHAPTER ELEVEN.

A SUCCESSION OF DISASTERS.

In spite of the wild uproar made by the savage brutes encircling the
camp, some of the guards began to doze after they had been on the watch
two or three hours. Crawford had undertaken to keep watch while
Hendricks turned in. Now that he was getting accustomed to the country,
he was anxious to take a more active part than he had hitherto done.
With rifle in hand, he continued walking up and down, keeping inside the
fires and watching to see that all had sufficient fuel to cause the
flames to burn up brightly. Both the horses and oxen were naturally
restless while within sound of their dreaded enemies.

He had stopped to look out, when, at the end of the waggon farthest from
that to which the horses were secured, he heard the tramp of feet, and
looking round, by the light of the fire, he saw one of them loose and
trotting away. He instantly called to some of the men to secure the
animal, but they either did not hear, or did not understand him, and it
was some time before any of them were on their feet, when the horse had
disappeared in the darkness.

"You must go and bring it back," he shouted, and was himself about to
set off in chase of the horse, when Umgolo, who had been awakened,
stoppe