ribs, and the blood immediately began to flow, but the animal still remained standing in the same position. We had now no doubt that he would spring upon us; every gun was instantly reloaded; but happily we were mistaken, and were not sorry to see him move quietly away; though I had hoped in a few minutes to have been enabled to take hold of his paw without danger.

once.

This was considered, by our party, to be a Lion of the largest size, and seemed, as I measured him by comparison with the dogs, to be, though less bulky, as large as an ox. He was certainly as long in body, though lower in stature; and his copious mane gave him a truly formidable appearHe was of that variety which the Hottentots and boors distinguish by the name of the Black Lion, on account of the blacker colour of the mane, and which is said to be always larger and more dangerous than the other, which they call the Pale Lion. Of the courage of the Lion I have no very high opinion; but of his majestic air and movements, as exhibited by this animal, while at liberty in his native plains, I can bear testimony. Notwithstanding the pain of a wound, of which he must soon afterwards have died, he moved slowly away with a stately and measured step.

At the time when men first adopted the Lion as the emblem of courage, it would seem that they regarded great size and strength as indicating it: but they were greatly mistaken in the character they have given to this indolent, skulking animal, and have overlooked a much better example of true courage, and of other virtues also in the bold and faithful dog.

The following account, given by another traveller in South Africa, is entitled to credit.

Our waggons, says the narrator, which were obliged to take a circuitous route, arrived at last, and we pitched our tent, and, after having arranged every thing, went to rest, but were soon disturbed; for, about midnight, the cattle

and horses, which were standing between the waggons, began to start and run, and one of the drivers to shout, on which every one run out of the tent with his gun.

About thirty paces from the tent stood a Lion, which, on seeing us, walked very deliberately about thirty paces farther, behind a small thorn-bush, carrying something with him, which I took to be a young ox. We fired more than

sixty shots at that bush, and pierced it stoutly, without perceiving any movement. The south-east wind blew strong, the sky was clear, and the moon shone very bright, so that we could perceive every thing at that distance.

After the cattle had been quieted again, and I had looked over every thing, I missed the sentry from before the tent. We called as loudly as possible, but in vain: nobody answered: from which I concluded that the Lion had carried him off. Three or four men then advanced very cautiously to the bush, which stood right opposite the door of the tent, to see if they could discover any thing of the man, but returned helter-skelter, for the Lion, who was there still, rose up, and began to roar. They found there the musket of the sentry, which was cocked, and also his cap and shoes.

We fired again about a hundred shots at the bush, without perceiving any thing of the Lion, from which we concluded that he was killed or had run away. This induced the marksman to go and see if he was there still or not, taking with him a firebrand. But as soon as he approached the bush, the Lion roared terribly, and leaped at him; on which he threw the firebrand at him, and the other people having fired about ten shots, he retired directly to his former place behind the bush.

The firebrand which he had thrown at the Lion had fallen in the midst of the bush, and, favoured by the strong south-east wind, it began to burn with a great flame, so that we could see very clearly into and through it. We continued our firing into it; the night passed away, and the

day began to break, which animated every one to aim at the Lion, because he could not go from thence without exposing himself entirely, as the bush stood directly against a steep bank. Seven men, posted on the farthest waggons, watched him, to take aim at him if he should come out.

At last, before it became quite light, he walked up the hill with the man in his mouth, when about forty shots were fired at him without hitting him, although some were very near. Every time this happened he turned round towards the tent, and came roaring towards us; and I am of opinion, that if he had been hit, he would have rushed on the people and the tent.

When it became broad daylight, we perceived, by the blood and a piece of the clothes of the man, that the Lion had taken him away and carried him with him. We also found, behind the bush, the place where the lion had been keeping the man, and it appeared impossible that no ball should have hit him, as we found in that place several balls beaten flat. We concluded that he was wounded, and not far from this. The people, therefore, requested permission to go in search of the man's corpse in order to bury it, supposing that, by our continual firing, the Lion would not have had time to devour much of it.

I gave permission to some, on condition that they should take a good party of armed Hottentots with them, and make them promise that they would not run into danger, but keep a good look-out, and be circumspect. On this seven of them, assisted by forty-three armed Hottentots, followed the track, and found the Lion about half a league farther on, lying behind a little bush. On the shout of the Hottentots, he sprang up and ran away, on which they all pursued him. At last the beast turned round, and, roaring terribly, rushed amongst the crowd.

The people, fatigued and out of breath with their running, fired and missed him, on which he made directly towards them. The captain here did a brave act in aid of

two of the people whom the Lion attacked. The gun of one of them missed fire, and the other missed his aim, on which the captain, a Hottentot, threw himself between the Lion and the people so close, that the Lion struck his claws into his mantle. But he was too agile for him, threw aside his mantle, and stabbed him. Instantly the other Hottentots hastened on, and stabbed him also. Notwithstanding this, the Lion did not leave off roaring and leaping, and bit off some of their weapons, till the marksman fired a ball into his eye, which made him turn over, and he was then shot dead by the other people. He was a tremendously large beast, and had but a short time before carried off a Hottentot and devoured him.

In the southern part of Africa, where the Hottentots live, Lions are very common, and the adventures of the inhabitants with them are very frequent. One evening a Hottentot saw that he was pursued by a Lion. He was very much alarmed, and devised the following means of escape.

He went to the edge of a precipice, and placed himself a little below it. He then put his cloak and hat on a stick, and elevated them over his head, giving them a gentle motion. The Lion came crouching along, and, mistaking the cloak and hat for the man, as the Hottentot intended he should do, he sprang upon them with a swift leap, and, passing over the head of the Hottentot, was plunged headlong down the precipice.

I have heard a story of a Hottentot who was driving some cows to a pool for drink, when he saw a Lion lying in the grass. He expected that he would rather pursue the cows than him; but he was mistaken. The Lion left the cattle and ran after the driver. The frightened Hottentot had just time to climb a tree, when the furious animal came after him, and leaped up to catch him. He was out of his reach, however, but the Lion determined not to lose his prey. He lay down at the foot of the tree, and for twenty-four hours watched diligently for the Hottentot. He

some water.

was then so thirsty, that he was obliged to go and find While he was gone, the Hottentot descended and ran home to his house. The Lion returned, and, finding the man gone, followed his track for a while, and then gave up the pursuit.

It is well known that the Lion will remember for a long time those who have been accustomed to feed him. The following story will illustrate this trait of character.

Some sailors went once to see a Lion which was kept in a yard. The Lion was eating some food, and he was very fierce to those who disturbed him.

At length one of the sailors approached him, saying, 'Nero, poor Nero, don't you know me?' The Lion immediately left his meat, and went toward the sailor, showing evident signs of pleasure. The sailor patted the Lion's head, and the Lion rubbed it against his hand like a cat. The people who witnessed this scene were very much astonished, till the sailor told them; that the Lion, three or four years before, was on board a ship where he was, and that he used to feed him.

I will relate another story of a similar kind.

M. Felix, the keeper of the animals in Paris, some years ago, brought two Lions, a male and female, to the national menagerie. About the beginning of the following June he was taken ill, and could no longer attend the Lions, and another person was under the necessity of performing this duty. The male, sad and solitary, remained from that moment constantly seated at the end of his cage, and refused to take food from the stranger, whose presence was hateful to him, and whom he often menaced by bellowing. The company even of the female seemed now to displease him, and he paid no attention to her. The uneasiness of the animal afforded a belief that he was really ill; but no one dared to approach him.

At length Felix recovered, and, with intention to surprise the Lion, he crawled softly to the cage, and showed only