CHAP. V. LIONS. ^ 239 



stream, where he offered such a small and misleading 

 mark that no one (and we had some pretty good shots) 

 could hit him. This scheme was successful, for, on the 

 very next day the brute came up directly underneath the 

 man's ambush, offering him a shot at three yards' distance, 

 and received a bullet through the skull. The camp-boys 

 hauled it out amid great rejoicings, and we found that 

 it was a female, and measured twelve feet nine inches ; 

 and though we continually saw crocodiles sunning them- 

 selves on the sand-banks, both just above and below, none 

 ever infested the ford again in our time. 



The public must feel some difficulty in forming a true 

 estimate of the prowess of the African lion, from the 

 number of conflicting statements made by different travel- 

 lers and hunters. The truth appears to be that, while 

 each one has formed an opinion from the behaviour of the 

 particular animals they chanced to meet with, the fact 

 that every single Hon differs from another in temper and 

 disposition has been allowed to drop out of sight. That 

 some lions will make a point of attacking every human 

 being they see, without the slightest provocation, admits 

 of no doubt, while it is at least equally certain that there 

 are others that can hardly be forced to retaliate, and 

 which, even when wounded, will always rather run than 

 fight. 



Generally speaking, however, and subject to the 

 above exceptions, I have found that the lion of South 

 and Eastern Africa rarely goes out of its way to attack 

 people, and will in point of fact shun a conflict when 

 avoidable. There is nearly always some explanation of 

 its behaviour when it acts otherwise : either the hunter 



