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THE STORY OF THE LION. 



second or two, gave chase tO' the other, who, however, had profited by the time 

 to remove himself, by a bare foot or so, out of reach of the spring the enraged 

 animal gave as it saw that one had so far escaped. It then returned tO' its last 

 victim, not yet dead, took him up in its mouth, dropped him, tossed him from 

 paw to paw as a cat does a mouse, and at last, as if wearied by so' much unac- 

 customed gentleness, it allowed its savage nature to gain the mastery, and with 

 one crunch of its powerful jaw put him out of his pain." The sole survivor 

 of this tragedy, after having been besieged for hours in a tree, during which 



SIR EDWIN LANDSEER S WORLD FAMOUS PAINTING OF A LION. 



he had a hairbreadth escape when descending to reach his gun, finally had the 

 satisfaction of putting a bullet through the ribs of the lion. 



Lion-hunting, under any circumstances, must of necessity be a dangerous 

 pursuit ; but it may be followed tO' a certain extent with comparative immunity 

 from harm by those who have the necessary nerve and coolness, coupled with 

 sufficient knowledge of the habits of the animals. I consider the lion a far 

 more dangerous animal toi encounter than any other creature in South Africa. 

 It is true, indeed, that a much greater number of casualties occur from 

 buffalo-shooting than in lion-hunting, but for every lion that has of late years 



