78 THE LION. 



becoming cowed, and turnin^ tail, should one 



O y O ' 



look him determinedly in the face, for he says : 

 " Though under ordinary circumstances this ex- 

 pedient may possibly succeed, yet if the beast be 

 accustomed to gorge on human flesh, and that he 

 be hungry, he does not spend time in gazing on the 

 human eye, as some are said to do, but seeks the 

 easiest and most expeditious way of making a meal 

 of a man." 



The human voice, as with the human eye, would 

 also seem to make considerable impression on the 

 lion. The Natives of Southern Africa are fully 

 aware of this fact, and when, according to Sir A. 



* * O 



Alexander, the Bushmen find the beast devouring 

 his prey, they, to drive him from the carcase, that 

 they themselves may possess it, address him in 

 these words : 



" ' What are you here for ? Have you got anv- 



*/ J o , 



thing to eat? You make such a noise I thought you 

 had got something ? Don't think to come here and 

 quarrel with us, but go away now and eat flesh.' 

 Thus walking and talking for some time, the men 

 at length sit down facing the lion, when the as- 

 tonished animal probably moves off, and leaves the 

 remainder of his victim to the Bushmen " 



Again, when Jonathan Af'rika, a man of great 



f~) * O 



courage and an excellent marksman, who had 

 caused many lions to bite the dust, and who for a 

 time was in my service 1 , was on one occasion riding 

 leisurely along, a fine lion suddenly rushed out of 

 the bushes a short distance in advance of him. 

 Tin-owing himself quickly off the ox, he gave chase 



