Forest and Frontiers

Forest & Frontiers, by G. A.
Henty

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Title: Forest & Frontiers
Author: G. A. Henty

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FOREST AND FRONTIERS
OR, ADVENTURES AMONG THE INDIANS
By George A. Henty

Thrilling stories.
Mr. Cumming's attack on four lions

The most daring and adventurous of all hunters is Mr. Roualeyn
Gordon Cumming. Being an officer in the British service at the Cape of
Good Hope, his love of hunting adventures led him to resign his
commission in the army, and devote himself for five years to exploring
the interior of Africa, and hunting wild beasts. We shall quote his own
account of some of his adventures.
The first incident of his career, to which we invite the reader's attention,
is one which he calls an attack on four patriarchal lions. It occurred in

the interior of Africa, not far from the junction of the rivers Mariqua
and Limpopo. He thus describes it.
A few days after this, just as Swint had milked the cows, and was
driving them from the wooded peninsula in which we lay, athwart the
open ground, to graze with my other cattle in the forest beyond, he
beheld four majestic lions walking slowly across the valley, a few
hundred yards below my camp, and disappear over the river's bank, at a
favorite drinking place. These mighty monarchs of the waste had been
holding a prolonged repast over the carcases of some zebras killed by
Present, and had now come down the river to slake their thirst. This
being reported, I instantly saddled two horses, and, directing my boys
to lead after me as quickly as possible my small remaining pack of
sore-footed dogs, I rode forth, accompanied by Carey carrying a spare
gun, to give battle to the four grim lions. As I rode out of the peninsula,
they showed themselves on the banks of the river, and, guessing that
their first move would be a disgraceful retreat, I determined to ride so
as to make them think that I had not observed them, until I should be
able to cut off their retreat from the river, across the open vley, to the
endless forest beyond. That point being gained, I knew that they, still
doubtful of my having observed them, would hold their ground on the
river's bank until my dogs came up, when I could more advantageously
make the attack.
I cantered along, holding as if I meant to pass the lions at a distance of
a quarter of a mile, until I was opposite to them, when I altered my
course, and inclined a little nearer. The lions showed symptoms of
uneasiness; they rose to their feet, and, overhauling us for half a minute,
disappeared over the bank. They reappeared, however, directly, a little
farther down; and finding that their present position was bare, they
walked majestically along the top of the bank to a spot a few hundred
yards lower, where the bank was well wooded. Here they seemed half
inclined to await my attack; two stretched out their massive arms, and
lay down in the grass, and the other two sat up like dogs upon their
haunches. Deeming it probable that when my dogs came up and I
approached they would still retreat and make a bolt across the vley, I
directed Carey to canter forward and take up the ground in the centre of

the vley about four hundred yards in advance; whereby the lions would
be compelled either to give us battle or swim