24 THK LION. 



bok were discovered. We, therefore, conjectured 

 that the lion and lioness being very hungry, and the 

 antelope not proving a sufficient meal for both, they 

 had quarreled, and that he, after killing his wife, 

 had coolly eaten her also. And certainly, a most 

 substantial breakfast it must have been. 



The lion is very destructive to the cattle and 

 sheep of the colonists and natives, especially when 

 several of them are in company, and many in- 

 stances have come to my knowledge where a 

 troop of these beasts have dashed into the fold 

 and destroyed a number of oxen equal to their own. 

 One night, indeed, when on my way from Damara 

 land to the Cape, and close to my bivouac, five lions 

 broke into a kraal belonging to a famous hunter, 

 afterwards in my employ, and slaughtered no fewer 

 than five cows. 



But great as are the ravages of the lion amongst 

 the domestic animals of Southern Africa, they are 

 trifling in comparison with those the inhabitants of 

 Algeria have to complain of, which, as will hereafter 

 be shewn, are something terrible. 



The lion, as is known, becomes occasionally a 

 regular " man-eater," and when such is the case 

 proves a dreadful scourge to the country. 

 Happily, however, not one lion perhaps in fifty 

 can properly come under the above denomina- 

 tion. 



Various reasons are assigned for lions becoming 

 " man-eaters." Some imagine they first acquire the 

 taste for human flesh (which subsequently they are 

 said to prefer to that of all other) to certain tribes 



