470 THE FELID^ OF THE OLD WORLD 



falling. But in order to deceive the lion still more, he set his 

 hat and cloak on the stick-, making with it at the same time a 

 gentle motion just over his head, and a little way from the edge 

 of the mountain. This crafty expedient had the desired effect, 

 for he did not remain long in that situation, before the lion 

 came creeping softly towards him like a cat, and mistaking the 

 skin-cloak for the Hottentot himself, took his leap with such 

 exactness and precision as to fall headlong down the precipice, 

 where he dashed out his brains upon the rock. 



On account as well of the devastations which he causes among 

 the herds as of the pleasure of the chase, the lion is pursued 

 and killed in North and in South Africa wherever he appears, a 

 state of war which, as may well be supposed, is not without 

 danger for the aggressive party. 



Thus Andersson, the well-known Swedish Nimrod, once fired 

 upon a black-maned lion, one of the largest he ever encountered 

 in Africa. Eoused to fury by the slight wound he had received, 

 the brute rapidly wheeled, rushed upon him with a dreadful 

 roar, and at the distance of a few paces, couched as if about to 

 spring, having his head imbedded, so to say, between his fore 

 paws. Drawing a large hunting knife, and slipping it over the 

 wrist of his right hand, Andersson dropped on one knee, and 

 thus prepared, awaited the onset of the lion. It was an awful 

 moment of suspense, and his situation was critical in the 

 extreme. Still his presence of mind (a most indispensable 

 quality in a South African hunter) never for a moment forsook 

 him ; indeed, he felt that nothing but the most perfect coolness 

 and absolute self-command would be of any avail. He would 

 now have become the assailant ; but as, owing to the inter- 

 vening bushes and clouds of dust raised by the lion's lashing 

 his tail against the ground, he was unable to see his head, while 

 to aim at any other part would have been madness, he refrained 

 , from firing. Whilst intently watching every motion of the lion, 

 the animal suddenly made a prodigious bound; but whether it 

 was owing to his not perceiving his intended victim, who was 

 partially concealed in the long grass, and instinctively threw 

 his body on one side, or to miscalculating the distance, he went 

 clear over him, and alighted on the ground three or four paces 

 beyond. Quick as thought Andersson now seized his advantage, 

 and wheeling round on his knee, discharged his second barrel ; 



