• ouin:u V. the cap.nivoka. 117 



fii-c for their assist;incc. One was lying iintler the lion's feet, anel the others 

 scr.unhling' towards us in sueh a way as to interecpt our aim upon him. 

 All tliis passed far more rapidly than I have describeil it ; but luckily the 

 lion, after steadily sur\eyinu' us for .1 few seconds, seemed willing to be • 

 quit on fair terms, and, with a fi)rtnnate forbearance, turned calmly away, 

 and, driving the snarling dogs like rats from among his heels, ijounded over 

 the adjoining thicket like a cat over a footstool, clearing Ijrakes and bushes 

 twelve or lifteen feet high as readily as if they had been tufts of grass, and, 

 abandoning the jungle, retreated towards the mountains. 



" After ascertaining tiie state of our rescued comrade, who, fortunately, 

 had sustained no other injury than a slight scratch on the back and a severe 

 bruise on the ribs, from the force with which the animal had dashed him to 

 the ground, we renewed the chase, with Hottentots and hounds in full cry. 

 In a short time we again came up with the enemy, and found him standing at 

 bay under an old mimosa-tree, by the side of a mountain stream, which we 

 had distinguished by tlie name of Douglas AYater. The dogs were barking 

 round, but afraid to a])[)r()ach him, tor he was now beginning to growl 

 fiercely, and to brandish his tail in a manner that showed he was meditating 

 mischief. The Hottentots, by taking a circuit between him and tiie momi- 

 tain, crossed the stream, and took a position on the top of a preci[iice over- 

 looking the spot where he stood. Another party occupied a position on 

 the other side of the glen, and, placing the poor fellow thus between two 

 fires, wdiich confused his attention and prevented his retreat, we kept l)at- 

 tering at him, without truce or mcrcv, till lie iell, unable again to grapple 

 with us, covered with wounds and glory." 



There is a sculptured figure of a nianeless lion on the hieroglyphic mon- 

 uments of Upper Egy})t. It appears that lliis species still exists. It is 

 larger than any species hitherto known, and of a brown color. • 



It now remains to notice the remaining species, — if indeed it be a dif- 

 ferent species. 



The Asiatic Lion {Leo Asinllcus) . — The editor of Bolufs edition of 

 Cuvier evidently regards the lions of Africa and Asia as one species, 

 although they exhibit some dift'erenccs, as for instance, in their ph_ysiog- 

 nomy. There is no diti'erencc of size or apparent strength. The most 

 striking distinction is the pale tint, almost approaching fawn color, which 

 pervades the whole body. The mane is something less than in the African 

 species, but it is furnished, according to ~Slv. Bennet, with a peculiar appen- 

 dage, in the long hairs, which, commencing beneath the neck, occupy the 

 whole of the middle line of the body below. 



The Asiatic lioness does not differ in color from the male, nor much from 

 the African varieties found in Barbarv and Senen-al. 



