about two o'clock in the afternoon
But Swinton observed , that it would be necessary to keep a very sharp look-out , as the women were invariably sent by the Bushmen as spies , that they might watch the opportunity for stealing cattle . They now resumed their former plan ; starting at a very early hour , and travelling till afternoon , when the cattle were allowed several hours to feed , and were then tied up for the night to the waggons . Indeed the lions were now not so numerous as they had been , and they had more to fear from the Bushmen and the hyenas , which were very plentiful . The next day fully proved the truth of this , for the oxen , having been unyoked as usual to feed , about two o'clock in the afternoon , had been led to a hollow of luxuriant pasture by the cattle-keepers , where they could not be seen from the caravan , although they were not half a mile off . Towards dusk , when it was time to drive them in and tie them up to the waggons , it was found that the cattle-keepers , who had been in company with the Bush-women , had neglected their charge , and they were not to be found . The keepers came running in , stating that a lion had scared the cattle , and that the animals had galloped off to a great distance . But Omrah , who had gone to where the cattle had been feeding , returned to the camp and told Swinton that it was not lions but Bushmen who had stolen them ; and , bringing the horses ready saddled to the Major and Alexander , said , that if they did not follow them immediately , the cattle would be all killed .