THRILLING ADVENTURES IN AFRICA. 189 



which the lioness was retreating in the back-ground. Facing about, 

 he followed after them with a haughty and independent step, growl- 

 ing fiercely at the dogs which trotted along on each side of him. 

 Three troops of elephants having been discovered a few minutes 

 previous to this, upon v/hich I was marching for the attack, 1, with 

 the most heartfelt reluctance, reserved my fire. On running down 

 the hill side to endeavor to recall my dogs, I observed, for the first 

 time, the retreating lioness with four cubs. About twenty minutes 

 afterwards two noble elephants repaid my forbearance. 



Among Indian Nimrods, a certain class of royal tigers is digni- 

 fied with the appellation of "man-eaters." These are tigers which, 

 having once tasted human flesh, show a predilection for the same, 

 and such characters are very naturally famed and dreaded among 

 the natives. Elderly gentlemen of similar tastes and habits are 

 occasionally met with among the lions in the interior of South 

 Africa, and the danger of such neighbors may be easily imagined. 



THE MAN-EATER AT WORK. 



I account for lions first acquiring this taste in the following- 

 manner: some tribes of the far interior do not bury their dead, but 

 unceremoniously carry them forth, and leave them lying exposed 

 in the forest or on the plain, a prey to the lion and hy?ena, or the 

 jackal and vulture; and I can readily imagine that a lion, having 

 thus once tasted human flesh, would have little hesitation, when 

 opportunity presented itself, of springing upon and carrying oft' the 

 unwary traveler or native inhabiting his country. 



Be this as it may, man-eating occurs ; and on my fourth hunt- 

 ing expedition, a horrible tragedy was acted one dark night in my 

 little lonely camp by one of these formidable characters, which 

 deprived me, in the far wilderness, of my most valuable servant. 

 In winding up these observations on the lion, I may remark that 

 lion-hunting, under any circumstances, is decidedly a dangerous 

 pursuit. It may nevertheless be follov/ed, to a certain extent, with 

 comparative safety by those who have naturally a turn for that sort 

 of thing. 



A recklessness of death, perfect coolness and self-possession, 



