THE LION. 



43 



one set of hills or jungles to some far distant range or fresh 

 hunting-grounds." 



Our account of the present species may be fitly concluded 

 with the description of a Lion-hunt in South Africa, taken from 

 "Thompson's Travels," at a time when repeating rifles and ex- 

 plosive bullets were things undreamt of. After stating that his 

 party consisted of several Europeans, enforced by a company 

 of the so-called Bastaard Hottentots, the narrator writes: "The 

 first point was to track the Lion to his covert. This was 

 effected by a few of the Hottentots on foot. Commencing 

 from the spot where the horse was killed, we followed the spoor 

 through grass, and gravel, and brushwood, with astonishing 

 ease and dexterity, where an inexperienced eye could discern 

 neither footprint nor mark of any kind; until, at length, we 

 fairly tracked him into a large bosch, or straggling thicket of 

 brushwood and evergreens, about a mile distant. 



" The next object was to drive him out of this retreat, in 

 order to attack him in a close phalanx, with more safety and 

 effect. The approved mode in such cases is to torment him 

 with dogs till he abandons his covert, and stands at bay in the 

 open plain. The whole band of hunters then march forward 

 together, and fire deliberately one by one. If he does not 

 speedily fall, but grows angry, and turns upon his enemies, they 

 must stand close in a circle, and turn their horse's rear out- 

 ward ; some holding them fast by the bridles, while the others 

 kneel to take a steady aim at tn^ Lion as he approaches, some- 

 times up to the very horses' heels, couching every now and 

 then, as if to measure the distance and strength of his ene- 

 mies." 



After some hours spent in searching, the Lion was event- 

 ually found " couched among the roots of a large evergreen, 

 but with a small space of open ground on one side of it ; and 

 they fancied, on approaching, that they saw him distinctly lying 



