I.

It is well[1] known that if one of a troop of lions is killed, the others take the hint[2], and leave that part of the country. So[3] the next time the herds were attacked, I went with the people, in order to encourage them to rid themselves of the annoyance by destroying[4] one of the marauders. We found the lions on a small hill about a quarter of a mile in length[5], which was covered with trees. A circle of men was formed round it, and they gradually closed up[6], ascending pretty near to each other. Being down below on the plain with a native schoolmaster, named Mebalwe, a most excellent man (S. 53, N. 9), I saw one of the lions sitting (S. 78, N. 14, _B_) on a _piece of_ rock within the now-closed circle _of men_. Mebalwe fired at him before I could[7], and the ball struck the rock on which the animal was sitting. He bit at the spot struck, as a dog does at a stick or stone thrown at him; then leaping away[8], broke through the opening circle, and escaped unhurt. The men were afraid to attack him on account of their belief in [+an+] witchcraft. When the circle was re-formed, we saw two other lions in it; but were afraid[9] to fire lest we should strike the men, and they allowed the beasts to burst through also. If (App. § 36) the Bakatta had acted according to the custom of the country, they would have speared the lions in their attempt to get out. Seeing we could not get[10] them to kill one of the lions, we bent our footsteps[11] towards the village; in going round the end of the hill, however, I saw one of the beasts sitting on a _piece of_ rock as before, but this time he had a little bush in front. Being about thirty yards[12] off, I took a good aim at his body through the bush, and fired both barrels into it. The men then called out: “He is shot! he is shot!” Others cried: “He has been shot by another man, too; let us go to him!” I did not see any one else shoot at him, but I saw the lion’s tail[13] erected in anger behind the bush, and turning to the people, said: “Stop a little till I load[14] again.”

[1] = generally.

[2] +es sich zur Warnung dienen lassen.+

[3] So, +Als nun+; the next time, +wiederum+, which place after the subject.

[4] +durch Vertilgung+, which place, with ‘one — marauders’, immediately after the reflective pronoun ‘+sich+’.

[5] Use the attributive construction.

[6] and — up, +welche sich allmählich enger an einander anschlossen+; ascending = and ascended (+den Berg hinauf´steigen+).

[7] +ehe ich es thun konnte.+

[8] = and when, hereupon, he sprang away, he, etc.

[9] = but ventured not; lest, +aus Furcht, daß+; render ‘should’ by the Imperf. Subj. of +mögen+.

[10] +dahin bringen.+

[11] we went (+schreiten+).

[12] = steps; distances are generally measured by _steps_ in Germany.

[13] a lion’s _tail_, +Schweif+, m.; in, +aus+.

[14] = have loaded.

_Section 216._

AN ADVENTURE WITH A LION.