I Immediately Conjectured That A Lion Had Taken One Of The
Shepherds, And Mounted My Horse To Have A Better View Of What Had
Happened.
The noise, however, ceased; and I rode slowly towards the place
from whence I thought it had proceeded, calling out but without receiving
any answer.
In a little time, however, I perceived one of the shepherds
lying among the long grass near the road, and, though I could see no
blood upon him, I concluded he was dead. But when I came close to him, he
whispered me to stop, telling me that a party of armed men had seized
upon his companion, and shot two arrows at himself as he was making his
escape. I stopped to consider what course to take, and looking round, saw
at a little distance a man sitting upon the stump of a tree; I
distinguished also the heads of six or seven more sitting among the
grass, with muskets in their hands. I had now no hopes of escaping, and
therefore determined to ride toward towards them. As I approached them,
I was in hopes they were elephant hunters; and, by way of opening the
conversation, inquired if they had shot any thing; but without returning
an answer, one of them ordered me to dismount; and then, as if
recollecting himself, waved with his hand for me to proceed. I
accordingly rode past, and had with some difficulty crossed a deep
rivulet, when I heard somebody holla; and looking behind, saw those I had
taken for elephant hunters running after me, and calling out to me to
turn back.
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