MAMMALIA—LION. 169 
THE CAPE LION. 




























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TueEre are two varieties of this species, which, from their color, particu- 
larly of the manes, are designated by the settlers, as the pale and the black 
hon. 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 mischief 
which he does to them, particularly in the destruction of their horses, for 
the flesh of which 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 tne Cape colony. ‘‘One 
ight,” says he, ‘‘a lion, that had previously purloined a few sheep out of 
my kraal, came down and killed my riding horse, about a hundred yards 
from the door of my cabin. Knowing that the hon, wnen he dees not carry 
off 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 wiiling 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 pluckless 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 
mulatto Hottentots, who resided at that time upon our territory as tenants 
yy herdsmen,—an active and enterprising, though rather an unsteady, race 
22 
