234 THE LION. 



on the contrary, in many respects useful. In truth, 

 from the manner in which these men hunt, which 

 insures neither certain nor great results, they are 

 often compelled to seek their subsistence in woods. 

 The lion leaves after him ample fragments, which 

 are by no means to be despised ; and every morn- 

 ing these are indicated by the vultures, who are 

 sure pilots. The cloaks of most of the Mahaschee 

 are made of the skins of the beast's victims, which 

 are rendered supple by means of the marrow ex- 

 tracted from their bones; whilst the men themselves 

 feed on the flesh. Hence these people shewed no 

 desire to assist mo in ridding the country of their 

 formidable neighbours, whose services they prized." 

 Then again, it is said, the lion is a benefactor in 

 this way ; that, were he not to keep down the nu- 

 merous granivorous animals that roam over the 

 boundless savannahs of Southern Africa, little herb- 

 age would remain for the cattle bclono-ing to the 



o o o 



colonists and natives. On this subject, Delegorgue 

 expresses himself very strongly. 



" in point of fact," such are his words, " the 

 lion in these wilds is of incontestable utility, and I 

 prove it thus : that if from Drakensberg, the source 

 of the Vaal River, to the tropic of Capricorn, not a 

 lion existed, it is very certain that the herds of 

 gnoos and quaggas, already far too numerous, would 

 multiply in a frightful proportion. It would require 

 only ten years, and the pastoral people would not find 

 a blade of grass for their cattle .... There were 

 so many lions when I crossed from the Elands 

 River to the Vaal River, that almost every day we 



