ADVENTURES WITH LIONS. 573 



and imposing in the presence of the lion, when seen walking 

 with dignified self-possession, free and undaunted, on his 

 native soil, that no description can convey an adequate idea 

 of his striking appearance. The lion is exquisitely formed 

 by nature for the predatory habits which he is destined to 

 pursue. Combining in comparatively small compass the 

 qualities of power and agility, he is enabled, by means of 

 the tremendous machinery with which nature has gifted 

 him, easily to overcome and destroy almost every beast of 

 the forest, however superior to him in weight and stature. 



Though considerably under four feet in height, he has 

 little difficulty in dashing to the ground and overcoming the 

 lofty and apparently powerful giraffe, whose head towers above 

 the trees of the forest, and whose skin is nearly an inch in 

 thickness. The lion is the constant attendant of the vast 

 herds of buffaloes which frequent the interminable forests of 

 the interior ; and a full-grown one, so long as his teeth are 

 unbroken, generally proves a match for an old bull buffalo, 

 which in size and strength greatly surpasses the most 

 powerful breed of English cattle : the lion also preys on all 

 the larger varieties of the antelopes, and on both varieties 

 of the gnu. The zebra, which is met with in large herds 

 throughout the interior, is also a favorite object of his pursuit. 



Lions do not refuse, as has been asserted, to feast upon 

 the venison that they have not killed themselves. I have 

 repeatedly discovered lions of all ages which had taken 

 possession of, and were feasting upon, the carcasses of 

 various game quadrupeds which had fallen before my rifle. 

 The lion is very generally diffused throughout the secluded 

 parts of Southern Africa. He is, however, nowhere met 

 with in great abundance, it being very rare to find more 

 than three, or even two, families of lions frequenting the 

 same district and drinking at the same fountain. When a 

 greater number were met with, I remarked it was owing to 

 long-protracted droughts, which, by drying nearly all the 



