Dd a a Tah a a 
3 Pa “ 
Bt 
THE LION 237 
there is nothing of the majestic about him— indeed he even com- 
pares unfavourably with a rhinoceros, which, as it trots away 
with tail held erect, has the merit of looking defiant, if not 
altogether dignified. Perhaps lions are seen at their worst after 
being wounded and brought to bay, when as they lie crouching 
flat to the earth, with head slightly raised, ears held back, and 
mouth open, giving vent to low snarling growls, they by no 
means present a noble or awe-inspiring appearance. In East 
Africa the lion is essentially a game-killer. There are, how- 
ever, a few cases on record of lions having turned cattle-killers ; 
but I am inclined to think that in most instances they have 
been driven to it by force of circumstances, on account of 
the scarcity and wildness of the game. As I have said else- 
where, nearly all the game-beasts migrate from their favourite 
haunts where they have been concentrated in large herds as 
long as food was plentiful. Between March and the end of 
July they disperse, many of them work their way towards the 
coast, become scattered over a much larger area, and are found 
in smallerherds. These herds of game are naturally followed by 
the lions, some of which doubtless stray away occasionally from 
where the game is to be found, and are driven to killing cattle, or 
donkeys, or whatever else they come across. Within the last 
ten years several lions have strayed as far as Mombasa, and 
have even crossed over from the mainland to the island, where 
they have done considerable damage amongst the cattle, &c. 
In 1887 a large lion which had been on the island for several 
months was killed within 200 yards of the town by Count 
E. de Kegl, who tied up a bullock as a bait and shot the lion 
from a tree at night. Another one was killed early in the 
year 1893. In Ukambani and the Masai country a few cattle 
are occasionally carried off by lions, but I do not think this 
is a common occurrence. I have never heard of any well- 
authenticated instance of lions becoming man-eaters, though I 
know of two cases in which a porter has disappeared on the 
march, and on men being sent back next morning to look for 
him, they only found his remains, and reported the spoor of a 
