226 THE LION. 



the Reverend gentleman would seem properly to 

 appreciate the lion, for elsewhere he says : " But 

 on the approach of night his courage returns, and 

 that which during the day he dreads he now fear- 

 lessly attacks. Indeed, he will not unfrequently 

 seize the horse by the side of his rider, or the ox 

 that is tied to the waggon, or even the faithful dog. 

 Nay, he dares man himself." 



Delegorgue, as well as Moffatt, would appear to 

 entertain but a poor opinion of the lion's courage, 

 which, he thinks, is only displayed on very special 

 occasions. After telling us that he has seen up- 

 wards of fifty of those beasts, and killed many, he 

 goes on to say : " But in no instance, not even 

 when badly wounded, did they show fight, but in- 

 variably retreated. Once, indeed, when I was 

 within ten paces of a lion and a lioness, and there 

 was no better weapon at hand than my double- 

 barreled gun, loaded with Number Five shot, I fired 

 at the one as well as the other, and both forthwith 

 made off, without daring to show their ire otherwise 

 than by a deep growl." 



That the actions of the lion in the day-time, 

 when, to speak figuratively, he is somewhat in the 

 position of a fish out of water, often look very much 

 like poltroonery, cannot be denied, still, admitting 

 that, as with the bravest of men, he has his 

 mo'iiU'/iiix de peur, there cannot be a doubt that, on 

 very many occasions, actions of his, which have been 

 branded as cowardly, have rather arisen from fear 

 of falling into the toils than any other cause; and 

 if such be really the case, it is not at all surprising 

 that " lie should have made himself scarce." 



