The Lion ^t^ 



the statements already made, it would appear that this 

 much-talked-of personal power is a delusion. 



"A lion," writes the Hon. W. H. Drummond ("The 

 Large Game and Natural History of South and South-east 

 Africa " ) " will seldom stand much bullying. He may and 

 often will get out of your way, nay, even leave his prey if 

 you approach it, and should you follow him, will perhaps 

 do so a second time, but that is about the extent of it." 

 If interference is pushed further, the lion, " if a male, 

 growls deeply, and makes his mane bristle up round him ; 

 or, if a lioness, crouches down like a cat, lays her ears 

 back, and shows her teeth, and in most such cases, when 

 the brute is fairly roused, a charge is inevitable whether 

 you advance or retreat." On the other hand, " some lions 

 make a point of attacking every human being they meet, 

 without provocation or apparent cause." This is unusual, 

 but " there are many instances of lions having evidently 

 attacked a human being from no other cause than surprise 

 or fear at suddenly finding themselves so close to him. . . . 

 In the above cases, utter immobility and coolness will often 

 avert an attack ; for if the animal, judging by your behav- 

 ior, imagines that you do not want to hurt it, it will, after 

 trying you for several minutes, and even making one or 

 two sham charges, often walk away and allow you to do 

 the same. . . . Several instances of this have occurred 

 within my own knowledge. A large native hunting party 

 had gone out and were scattered among the thorns, when 

 one of my gun-bearers, who had accompanied it, suddenly 

 found himself face to face with a full-grown male lion, 

 without a yard between them. He had presence of mind 



