CARNARIA. CARNIVORA. 79 



man mentions the following : " The father of the 

 young man who accompanied me, was celebrated in 

 this part of the country for his exploits in Lion 

 hunting. On one occasion, while shooting with his 

 son, the latter came unexpectedly upon a Lion, and 

 fired, but missed his aim, when the animal rushed 

 fiercely upon him. The father, who witnessed from 

 a distance what had occurred, with all that coolness 

 and confidence which those only who are accustomed 

 to such encounters can command, came to his son's 

 assistance ; and approaching within a few yards of 

 the spot where the Lion lay with closed eyes, growl- 

 ing over its victim, whom it seemed to press closer 

 to the earth, as if fearful of losing its prey, he level- 

 led his piece and fired ; the ball passed through the 

 animal's head, when it rolled over, and after a few 

 struggles expired, near the body of the young man, 

 who, to the inexpressible joy of his parent, had sus- 

 tained no serious injury, although it was some time 

 before he recovered from the terror into which he 

 had been thrown. On my remarking that it was a 

 surprising deliverance, ' Yes ! ' he exclaimed empha- 

 tically, God was there ! '" * 



Hunting parties are frequently formed for the ex- 

 press purpose of seeking in his lordly haunts, and 

 openly attacking, this formidable savage, and many 

 of the Dutch boors are famed for their skill and 

 daring. Mr. Steedman mentions a young man who 

 had shot upwards of fifty Lions, since the farm on 

 which he resided had been in his father's possession.f 



* Wanderings in S, Africa, vol. i. p. 178. + Ibid. p. 120. 



