LIONS HUNTING IN COMPANY. 99 



A somewhat similar scene though the quarry was 

 a widely different one was witnessed by Messrs. 

 Oswell and Vardon, the two well-known South 

 African travellers and sportsmen, from whose own 

 mouths I had the story. They were one day pur- 

 suing a wounded buffalo, on the shady banks of the 

 river Limpopo, when, to their great amazement, 

 three full-grown lions suddenly emerged from the 

 bush, and made a simultaneous attack on the re- 

 treating animal, who, notwithstanding his disabled 

 state, was not mastered by the beasts until after a 

 desperate and sanguinary battle; but though the 

 lions were the victors, they paid dearly fur their 

 audacity, as two out of the three were killed by my 

 friends whilst lying on the very body of the strug- 

 gling and dying victim. 



Gordon Gumming also testifies to lions hunting iu 

 troops. After telling us that " it is a common 

 thii'g to come upon a full-grown lion and lioness 

 associated with three or four large ones, nearly full- 

 grown," he goes on to say : " At other times adult 

 males will be found associating ami hunting together 

 in a happy state of friendship. Two, three, or four 

 full-grown male lions may thus be discovered con- 

 sorting together." 



Delegorgue also bears witness to lions hunting iu 

 company, as likewise to the great cunning they 

 often evince on these occasions. After telling us 

 " that during the winter, in the months of .June, 

 July, and August, when the grass is trampled down 

 or burnt by fire, a single lion cannot po^iiily sue 



n -2 



