LION IS 



Apart from those to which human prey has become habitual, lions, if un- 

 provoked, usually leave man alone. By some writers the lion is described as a 

 bloodthirsty but noble animal, while others, perhaps with more justice, call it 

 cowardly and mean ; at any rate, it generally avoids an encounter when possible. 

 If it acts otherwise, there is usually some special reason ; either the sportsman has 

 come upon it unawares, so that it sees no way of escape, and, driven by this fear, 

 ventures on an attack, or it has been half-famished and disturbed by the intruder 

 in the act of devouring its prey, which it has no intention to relinquish. On the 

 other hand, the lioness will invariably defend her young against any real or 

 imaginary danger. When unmolested, lions in some parts of Africa are by no 

 means dreaded by the natives, the Hamran Arabs of the Sudan showing, for 

 instance, no fear of the numerous lions of their country ; when much harassed, 

 these animals are, however, looked upon with more respect. It may be added that 

 there are a few cases in which lions have attacked man without previous provoca- 

 tion, this holding good not only for famished, but for exceptionally disposed 

 animals. In an event of this kind reported some few years ago from East Africa 

 three natives were walking along the edge of a lagoon, when suddenly a lion, which 

 had announced its presence by nothing but a low rustling, leapt on the first and 

 threw him on the ground. When the other two, who at first had climbed a tree but 

 soon returned to the pursuit, were going to fire, the lion, with a terrific roar which 

 almost prevented them from running, delivered a frontal attack. Having first 

 caught up one of the pair, it shook him for some seconds, and then turned to the 

 second, who had meanwhile taken advantage of his respite and fled, and by a hair's- 

 breadth escaped the spring of the enraged beast. The latter then returned to its 

 latest victim, who was not yet dead, seized him in its mouth, but soon dropped him 

 again, then threw him like a cat does a mouse to and fro between its paws, and 

 finally killed him by one bite of its jaws. The only survivor of the party had 

 taken refuge in a tree, where he was besieged by the lion for hours, but was 

 eventually able, at the risk of his life, to pick up his gun and shoot the lion dead. 

 A lion-hunter who is able to ascend a tree is always out of danger so long as he 

 remains there, for the lion is one of the few cats incapable of climbing trees. 

 There is not, however, always a tree at hand for the lion-hunter, when, on foot, he 

 finds himself exposed to attack. Lion-hunting is, indeed, by no means free from 

 danger, although not so dangerous that experienced sportsmen, who are acquainted 

 with the habits of lions and shoot straight, should run any very great risk of 

 their lives. Nevertheless, an English sportsman in South Africa who succeeded in 

 killing sixteen lions, declared lion-hunting to be very much more dangerous than 

 any other kind of South African shooting ; and although he admitted that more 

 accidents took place in buffalo-shooting, he explained this by the fact that in his 

 time about fifty buffaloes were killed to one lion. He added, however, that the 

 danger of lion-hunting is diminished when dogs are employed, so long as the 

 attention of the lion is diverted by these from the sportsman. Even then, 

 however, the lion will sometimes go straight for the hunter. On the other hand, 

 a mounted man should generally be able to save himself on even ground, as the 

 speed of the lion is not sufficient to overtake a horse. 



A lion, although he apparently never leaps, but runs like a dog in an awkward 



