above two miles, if so much."

"No, sir," replied the Hottentot; "but I can see well enough to see
them," continued he, pointing with his finger to a rising ground about a
hundred yards off; on the right of them. "One, two, three--there are
five of them."

"What are they?" said the Major, looking in the direction pointed out.
"I see; they are lions."

"Yes, sir; but we must take no notice of them, and they will not annoy
us. They are not hungry."

"You are right," said Swinton: "we must go right on, neither stopping
nor hastening our speed. Let the driver look to the oxen; for tired as
they are, the smell of the lions is sufficient to give them ungovernable
strength for the moment."

"Well," said the Major, "bring us our guns, Bremen. I am willing to
accept the armed neutrality, if they will consent to it."

The caravan passed on; the lions remaining crouched where they were,
eyeing them, it is true, but not rising from their beds. The oxen,
however, either through fear of the lions, or the scent of water near,
became more brisk in their motions, and in half an hour they perceived a
line of trees before them, which told them that they were near the bed
of the Nu Gareip or Cradock River.

The poor animals redoubled their exertions, and soon arrived at the
banks. Bremen had ridden forward and reported that there still was
water in the river, but only in pools. As the herbage was destroyed on
the side where they were, they would have crossed the bed of the river
before they unyoked, but that they found impossible. The animals were
so impatient for the water, that, had they not been released, they would
have broken the waggons.

Horses, oxen, and sheep all plunged into the pools together, and for
some minutes appeared as though they would never be satisfied. They at
last went out, but soon returned again, till their sides were distended
with the quantity of the element which they had imbibed.

An hour was allowed for the animals to rest and enjoy themselves, and
then they were again yoked to drag the waggons to the other side of the
river, where there was a sufficiency of pasturage and of wood to make up
their fires.

As it was their intention to remain there for a day or two, the waggons
were drawn up at some distance from the river, so as not to interfere
with the path by which the wild animals went down to drink. The spoors
or tracks of the lions and buffaloes and other animals were so abundant,
as