Two lions appeared from the riverine bush in the Brak River - a lion and a lioness. The lioness bolted further down the dry riverbed and disappeared, but the lion came closer. And closer. A few metres from explorer William Burchell and his company, it finally came to a halt and stared at them.
"At this moment we felt our situation not free from danger, as the animal seemed preparing to spring upon us," Burchell wrote in his book, Travels in the interior of Southern Africa (Volume 2).
It was the morning of 10 May 1812, and Burchell and his fellow travellers were on foot. "There was no time for fear, and it was useless to attempt avoiding him."
The company's dogs attacked the lion - the big male swatted two of them dead. Burchell fired at the lion with his rifle, as did the others who were carrying arms. Blood ran down the animal's side, but the lion remained in place, his gaze locked on the humans. When they reloaded, he slowly walked away.
These days, when you drive along the Brak River between De Aar and Strydenburg, this story seems far-fetched. I try to imagine lions and vast herds of game on the open Karoo plains, but my thoughts snag on all the jackalproof fences. Two blue cranes take off from the veld and fly back towards De Aar. When they see the wind turbines on the horizon, they caw in dismay and land again.
This wasn't the first time Burchell had traversed this land, and it's not my first time either. Two months before his encounter with the lion, Burchell passed through here to Graaff-Reinet to ask for a crew to accompany him on a journey from Klaarwater (Griekwastad) to the big Tswana settlement of Litakun further north. This place northeast of modern-day Kuruman is now known as Dithakong.
Dit verhaal komt uit de February/March 2025 editie van go! - South Africa.
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Dit verhaal komt uit de February/March 2025 editie van go! - South Africa.
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