178 EXPEDITION INTO 



rampant, with his tail hoisted and whirling* in a circle — 

 charg-ing- furiously along" the base of the rang-e — and in 

 desperate wrath, making towards John April, who was tend- 

 ing- the sheep. Every one instinctively grasped his weapon, 

 and rushed to the rescue, calling- loudly to warn the expect- 

 ed victim of his dang-er. AVithout taking- the smallest 

 notice of him, however, the infuriated monster dashed past, 

 roaring- and lashing* his sides until concealed in the mist. 

 Those who have seen the monarch of the forest in crippling- 

 captivity only, immured in a cag-e barely double his own 

 length, with his sinews relaxed by confinement, have seen 

 but the shadow of that animal which "clears the desert 

 with his rolling- eye." 



The reader is aware that the tig-er is not a denizen of 

 Africa. Both the leopard, and the hunting--leopard occur, 

 but differ in no respect from those found in India ; neither 

 does the South African lion differ in any material points 

 from those found in Guzerat, in Western India, measuring- 

 between ten and eleven feet in extreme leng-th, but g-enerally 

 possessing- a finer mane, a peculiarity which is attributable 

 to the less jungly character of the country that he infests, 

 and to the more advanced ag-e which he is suffered to attain. 

 Among-st the Cape Colonists it is a fashionable belief, that 

 there are two distinct species of the African lion— the 

 yelloAV, and the black— and that the one is infinitely less 

 ferocious than the other. But I need scarcely inform the 

 well-instructed reader, that both the colour and the size 

 depend chiefly upon the animal's ag-e ; the development of 

 the physical powers, and of the mane also, being- principally 

 influenced by a like conting-ency. That which has been 

 designated the " maneless lion of Guzerat," is nothing- more 

 than a 3'oung- lion whose mane has not shot forth ; and I 

 give this opinion with less hesitation, having- slain the " king* 

 of beasts" in every stag-e from whelphood to imbecility. 



