LIONS 



three besides the wounded animal are quite likely to 

 take up the quarrel and charge too. In other words, 

 in my opinion, the lion avoids trouble when he can, 

 not from cowardice but from essential indolence or 

 good nature; but does not need to be cornered* to 

 fight to the death when in his mind his dignity is 

 sufficiently assailed. 



For of all dangerous beasts the lion, when once 

 aroused, will alone face odds to the end. The rhinoc- 

 eros, the elephant, and even the buffalo can often 

 be turned aside by a shot. A lion almost always 

 charges home.t Slower and slower he comes, as the 

 bullets strike; but he comes, until at last he may be 

 just hitching himself along, his face to the enemy, his 

 fierce spirit undaunted. When finally he rolls over, 

 he bites the earth in great mouthfuls; and so passes, 

 fighting to the last. The death of a lion is a fine 

 sight. 



No, I must confess, to me the lion is an object of 

 great respect; and so, I gather, he is to all who have 

 had really extensive experience. Those like Leslie 

 Tarleton, Lord Delamere, W. N. MacMillan, Baron 

 von Bronsart, the Hills, Sir Alfred Pease, who are 

 great lion men, all concede to the lion a courage and 



*This is an important distinction in estimating the inherent courage of 

 man or beast. Even a mouse will fight when cornered. 



tl seem to be generalizing here, but all these conclusions must be under- 

 stood to take into consideration the liability of individual variation. 



129 



