The change in the position of the lion occasioned our travelers and the party to walk round, so as to be able to watch the countenance of the animal, as every thing depended upon the temper he might be in.  The Major and Alexander became very impatient, and were for advancing to the attack, but Swinton persuaded them not to do so until the last moment.

The lion now put its fore-paw upon the Hottentot’s mouth, and again stopped his breath; this occasioned another struggle on the part of Big Adam, which was followed by the animal seizing him by the arm and biting him severely; but in so doing the lion removed its paw, and the man could breathe again.  The taste of blood appeared pleasant to the lion, for it continued biting the arm, descending from the shoulder to the hand, and as the blood flowed from the wounds on its paws, the lion licked it off.  Again and again it licked its paw clean, and then, with its glaring eyes fixed intently upon the Hottentot’s face, it smelt him first on one side and then on the other, and appeared only to be waiting for a return of appetite to commence a deliberate meal upon the poor fellow’s body.

In the mean time our travelers were standing about seventy yards distant, waiting for the signal to attack, when Bremen observed to Swinton—­

“He won’t wait much longer, sir; the blood has given him an appetite.  We must now drive him away, or they will both be killed.”

“I think so too,” replied Swinton; “let us first try if we can disturb him without making him angry; that will be the best way.  We must go back out of springing distance, and then all shout together, and keep hallooing at him.”

This advice was followed; they retreated a hundred yards, and then all shouted at once, and after that the Hottentots hallooed and bawled to the lion.  This had the effect intended:  the lion rose from the bodies and advanced toward the party, who stood still hallooing at him, but not attempting to irritate him by presenting their guns.  The lion looked steadfastly at them for some time, and then turned away.  After retreating a few steps, it turned back to face them; the whole party continued on the same spot, neither advancing so as to irritate him, nor retreating so as to let the animal suppose that they were afraid of him.  When the lion had continued for a few minutes this course of retreating and advancing, he turned right round, and went away at a hand canter, and our travelers immediately hastened to the spot where Big Adam and Omrah were still lying.

Omrah, who was not at all hurt, instantly jumped on his legs, and, if he had been afraid, appeared to have quite recovered his courage, as he cut all manner of capers, and laughed immoderately; but Big Adam was greatly exhausted and could not move, as much from the immense pressure of the lion’s enormous body, as from the blood that he had lost by the wounds which he had received.  On examination, the bite