Covering up the remains of the buck with green branches to keep it
fresh, Hughes took a good pull at the gourd of water, and then lay down,
Masheesh strolling towards the boat. The mosquitos were too
troublesome, however, so he rose, joined the Matabele in pushing off the
canoe, anchored her by means of a rope and stone, lay down, and was soon
fast asleep at the bottom of the boat. Half awake at first, the faint
report of Wyzinski's gun came now and then upon his ear, but at last
sleep prevailed. The sun was low, and his beams slanting over the
forest-land, when, aroused by Masheesh shaking the branches with which
he had covered him, Captain Hughes awoke. It is a peculiarity common to
those who lead a life of danger and adventure, that the moment of
awakening at once restores all their faculties. They begin, as it were,
where they left off. Such was the case in the present instance, for one
look at the Matabele's face at once told Hughes that something was
wrong. Carefully raising himself in the light canoe, a glance showed
the danger. There, on the beautiful green patch where the party had
eaten their meal, three splendid lions were walking to and fro, rolling
on the grass, growling and playing, and a lioness with one cub had shown
herself and retired previously. It was a splendid sight to watch these
magnificent animals at their gambols; but what of Wyzinski, what of
Noti, the one armed with a shot gun, the other with a rifle he only half
understood, and what was worse, both utterly unconscious of the presence
of the owners of the land. Presently one of the old lions stopped for a
moment, snuffing like a dog with his nose in the air, and then walking
deliberately to the travellers' impromptu, larder, drew forth the
remains of the water-buck. A second at once seized it, the third came
up, and a tremendous _melee_ ensued, during which the body of the deer
was riven into pieces, and lions and carrion seemed rolling about in one
heap. Motioning to the Matabele, and with his help gently lifting the
anchor clear of the ground, the boat was suffered to drop down the
stream, its occupants using their hands as paddles on the off side. By
this means it arrived within fifteen paces of the bank, where the lions
were now feeding quietly, when the stone was again dropped, and the
canoe swung head to stream. They, thinking it to be an alligator, had
not taken the slightest notice of the boat, and went on feeding, teari