108 THE LION. 



and children were all inevitably lost ; if the boy had 

 moved, he had been struck ; the least turn in the j 

 lion, and the shot had not been mortal to him. To 3 

 have taken an aim at him without, was impossible ; 

 while the shadow of any one advancing in the bright 

 sun, would have betrayed him ; to consummate the j 

 whole, the head of the creature was in some sort j 

 protected by the door-post." 



Penetrating still further to the interior, where the 

 rifle has not usurped the place of the arrow and as- 

 sagay, we have the record of another method of de- j 

 stroying the lion. For an account of it we are also 

 indebted to Phillips's Researches. It has been ge- 

 nerally observed that the lion is awakened with dif- 

 ficulty after his meal, and, when suddenly disturbed, 

 loses all presence of mind, and runs off in dismay. 

 The knowledge of this is taken advantage of by the 

 bushmen. " It has been remarked of the lion by 

 the bushmen," says Phillips, " that he generally kills 

 and devours his prey in the morning, at sunrise or 

 at sunset. On this account, when they intend to 

 kill lions, they generally notice where the spring- 

 boks are grazing at the rising of the sun ; and by 

 observing at the same time if they appear frightened 

 and run off, they conclude that they have been at- 

 tacked by the lion. Marking accurately the spot 

 where the alarm took place, about eleven o'clock of 

 the day, when the sun is powerful, and the enemy 

 they seek is supposed to be fast asleep, they care- 

 fully examine the ground, and finding him in a state 



