ADVENTURES WITH LIONS. 583 



As to liis being afraid of the human eye, I shall touch on 

 that subject in another part of my work, when I describe 

 those which have tasted human flesh, for which they ever 

 afterwards retain an uncommon relish. With all their bold- 

 ness, they are sometimes arrant cowards. On one occasion, 

 I remember a man who, coming unexpectedly on a lion, 

 fainted. The lion raised himself to look over the bushes, 

 and seeing no one, seemed to suspect a plot, and scampered 

 off with his tail between his legs. It is but justice to add, 

 that the man was no less cowardly ; for, on awaking from his 

 swoon, and looking this way and that, he imagined the object 

 of his terror was still there, and taking to his heels, he made 

 towards the wagon. I have known Bushmen, and even 

 women, drive the lion away from the prey he has just seized, 

 by beating their clubs on dry hides, and shouting ; neverthe- 

 less, by day, and especially by night, he is an object of terror. 



Here is yet another, from a Missionary of South Africa, 

 which is analogous. It is from a narrative of a visit to the 

 Mauritius and South Africa, by James Backhouse. 



A Bushman residing near the Orange river, in the direc- 

 tion of Hardcastle Kloof, was hunting with some companions, 

 and observing a considerable number of vultures soaring in, 

 the air, he concluded that some animal had been accidentally 

 killed, of which he might possibly obtain a share ; he therefore 

 left his companions and repaired to the spot, where he found 

 a hartebeest lying, off which he drove a number of these birds. 

 On doing this, a lion, which he supposed had killed the harte- 

 beest and satisfied its hun^-er, came from behind a neighboring 

 bush and growled at him. 



Petrified with fear, the Bushman stood perfectly still. The 

 lion walked round him, so close as to brush him with its tail, 

 uttering at the same time a low groM'l ; it went to a short 

 distance and sat down, looking at the Bushman, who kept his 

 eye upon it and drew back a few paces ; but when he drew 

 back the lion advanced, he therefore stood c^uite still till the 



