“Besiegers retreating and fort evacuated both at the same time,” cried the Major, laughing.
“Well, I think you have had enough of the lion now,” said Swinton.
“No, we had quite enough of him last night, if you choose,” replied Alexander. “But your lions are not quite so near as he was.”
Chapter Fifteen.
It was not until the evening that the Caffres and Hottentots returned with the cattle, which they had great difficulty in collecting; two or three of the oxen were not brought back till late at night, so frightened had the animals been by the approach of the lion. In the afternoon, as it was too late to think of proceeding, our travellers, with their guns on their shoulders, and accompanied by Omrah and Begum, who would always follow the Major if she was not tied up, strolled away from the camp to amuse themselves. At first they walked to the hill from which they had such a splendid view of the valley covered with elephants, and, proceeding to where the male elephant had fallen, found that his flesh had, by the Caffres, the wolves, and the vultures, been completely taken off his bones, and it lay there a beautiful skeleton for a museum.
As, however, they had no room for such weighty articles in their waggons, they left it, after Swinton had made some observations upon the structure of the animal. Begum would not go near the skeleton, but appeared to be frightened at it. They then proceeded to the rock which had been their place of refuge when the herd of elephants had charged upon them; and as they stood under it, they were suddenly saluted with a loud noise over their heads, sounding like quah, quah!
As soon as Begum heard it, she ran up to the Major with every sign of trepidation, holding fast to his skin trousers.
“What was that?” said Alexander; “I see nothing.”