EAVAGES OF THE LION IN ALGERTA. 235 



saw several ; and nearly every night they attempted 

 to carry off our cattle. Nevertheless, their num- 

 bers proved insufficient to fulfil their mission, as 

 was exemplified by the fact that during the six 

 successive days I journeyed before reaching the Vaal 

 River my cattle were unable to find the least green 

 herbage. This was in the winter time, when every- 

 thing had been cropped off by the gnoos and 

 quaggas, whose mouths and teeth had literally 

 shaved the turf; and not an inch of ground was to 

 l)e seen whereon there was not the impress of a 

 foot. Indeed, where the soil was light and dry, 

 their feet had so broken up the ground, that it 

 almost resembled land under tillage." 



" It follows," Delegorguo goes on to say, " that 

 had there not been lions to diminish the number 

 of granivorous wild animals, not only would the 

 Caffirs have been unable to find pasture for their 

 cattle, but the gnoos and quaggas supposing 

 that emigration had been denied them -would have 

 perished in masses from inanition." 



Whatever may be the case in Southern Africa, 

 in the Northern portion of that continent, in 

 Algeria at least, the lion cannot surely be looked 

 on as a benefactor ; for although the number of 

 those beasts in that country is supposed l>v 

 Gerard not to exceed thirtv, vet the ravages they 

 commit amongst the cattle are something unheard 

 of. It, is calculated, indeed, as we learn from the 

 same authority, " that in Algeria alone, the lion 

 levies a tax on the Arabs ten times heavier than 

 the tribute they pay to the Frencli Government, 



