thumb|upright=1.3|Deacon Mebalwe shooting, distracting the lion which had overpowered Livingstone thumb|upright=1.3|Livingstone Memorial Sculpture in Blantyre, Scotland Lions often attacked the herds of the Mabotsa villagers, and on 16 February, Mebalwe and Livingstone joined them defending sheep. Livingstone got a clear shot at a large lion, but while he was re-loading it attacked, crushing his left arm, and forced him to the ground. His life was saved by Mebalwe diverting its attention by trying to shoot the lion. He too got bitten. A man who tried spearing it was attacked just before it dropped dead.
thumb|upright=1.3|Deacon Mebalwe shooting, distracting the lion which had overpowered Livingstone thu,mb|upright=1.3|Livingstone Memorial Sculpture in Blantyre, Scotland Lions often attacked the herds of the Mabotsa villagers, and on 16 February Mebalwe and Livingstone joined them defending sheep. Livingstone got a clear shot at a large lion, but while he was re-loading it attacked, crushing his left arm, and forced him to the ground. His life was saved by Mebalwe diverting its attention by trying to shoot the lion. He too got bitten. A man who tried spearing it was attacked just before it dropped dead.