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CHAPTER XIII. 



ARMS BEST SUITED FOR LION-SHOOTING THE LION'S RAGE AT A 

 BULLET TENACITY OF LIFE WOUNDS INFLICTED BY A DYING 

 LION SAFEGUARDS CAPE-HORSES REFLECTIONS ON LION- 

 HUNTINGSIGNS OF THE LION'S WRATH ALLEGED COWARDICE 

 THE ALGERINE LION. 



AS regards the best weapons for lion shooting, I 

 feel somewhat incompetent to give an opinion. 

 From the want of horses and other circumstances, I 

 never, as I have said, systematically hunted the lion ; 

 and when I chanced to fall in with him, was seldom 

 armed with other than an ordinary double-rifle of 

 moderate calibre. Experienced African sportsmen, 

 I am aware, recommend such as carry ten or twelve 

 balls to the pound; but, to say nothing of the com- 

 mon-sized rifle being much more handy, I am not 

 sure that, if the ball be well placed, it will not do 

 its business just as effectually as a larger one. 

 In any case, that the ball should be hardened, or, 

 what is better, steel-pointed, is, I brh'eve, admitted 

 by everyone the skull and bones of the lion not 

 being easily penetrated. 



The Dutch Boers, however, amongst whom are 

 many first-rate chasseurs, would seem to prefer the 

 single to the double rifle; and that from the belief, 



