HISTORY OF THE LION. 15 



the forehead of the lion, who was couched in the act of 

 springing, within fifteen paces of him ; but at the moment 

 .the hunter fired, his horse (whose bridle was round his arm) 

 started back, and caused him to miss. The lion bounded 

 forward, but stopped within a few paces, confronting 

 Diederik, who stood defenceless, his gun discharged, and 

 his horse running off. The man and the beast stood look- 

 ing each other in the face for some moments. At length 

 the lion looked backward, as if to go away. Diederik 

 began to load his gun, the lion looked over his shoulder, 

 saw what he was doing, growled and returned back ; the 

 boor stopped loading and stood still; the lion again moved 

 cautiously off, when the boor proceeded again to charge his 

 rifle ; the lion again looked back and growled angrily, and 

 returned ; the boor again stopped loading, and the lion 

 turned away. This occurred repeatedly, until the animal 

 had got off to some distance, when he took fairly to his 

 heels and bounded away." 



The following relation of an encounter of another kind, 

 taken from the Naturalist's History, will still more forcibly 

 exhibit the coolness and presence of mind of the South 

 African boor upon any trying emergency, or unexpected 

 attack from wild beasts ; and at the same time show, that 

 the lion will occasionally seek his prey during the day, 

 and near the haunts of men. 



" When passing near the Riet river-gate, and while our 

 oxen were grazing, Van Wyk, the colonist, related to us 

 the following interesting circumstance : * It is now,' he 

 said, ' more than two years since, in the very place where 

 we now stand, that I ventured to take one of the most 

 daring shots that was ever hazarded. My wife was sitting - 

 within the house, near the door ; the children were play- 

 ing about her; and I was without, busily engaged in 

 doing something to a wagon, when suddenly, though it 

 was mid-day, an enormous lion appeared ; came up, and 





