MAMMALIA — LION. 



169 



THE CAPE LION, 



TiiEKE "e two varieties of this species, which, from their color, particu- 

 larly of the mg,nes, are designated by the settlers, as the pale and the hlack 

 lion. The latter of these is the larger and more ferocious of the two, and 

 is occasionally found of the enormous length of eight feet from the tip of the 

 nose to the origin of the tail. The tail is usually about half the length of 

 the body. The pale variety is the more common. 



The colonists at the Cape bear the lion a deadly hatred for the miscliief 

 which he does to them, particularly in the destruction of their horses, for 

 the flesh of Avhich he seems to have an especial liking. Being excellent 

 marksmen, they will almost attack him singly ; but the more common mode 

 of attacking him is by hunting parties. 



The hunting of an African lion is described with infinite spirit by Mr 

 Pringle, who was a settler on the eastern frontier of the Cape colony. " One 

 night," says he, " a lion, that had previously purloined a few sheep out of 

 my kraal, £ame down and killed my riding horse, about a hundred yards 

 from the door of my cabin. Knowing that the lion, v/hen ho does not carry 

 ofl' his prey, usually conceals himself in the vicinity, and is very apt to be 

 dangerous by prowling about the place in search of more game, I resolved 

 to have him destroyed or dislodged without delay. I therefore sent a mes- 

 senger round the location, to invite all who were willing to assist in the 

 enterprise, to repair to the place of rendezvous as speedily as possible. In 

 an hour, every man of the party, (with the exception of two plucklcs;; fel- 

 lows, who were kept at home by the women,) appeared, ready mounted and 

 armed. We were also reinforced by about a dozen of the 'Bastuard' or 

 umlatto Hottentots, who resided at that time upon our territory as tenants 

 or herdsmen, — an active and enterprising, though rather an unsteady, race 

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