OEDEE OP CAENIVOEA. 357 



bestrode. It is scarcely necessary to say that the creature charged 

 with such a load cared much less about the honour than its master 

 did, and that more than once my companion was ignominiously 

 and hurriedly dismounted. 



" To give an idea of the size of this Lion, I will mention the 

 following fact : — 



"General Bedeau, who was passing through Guelma at the 

 time when I arrived, expressed a desire to see its skin. I hastened 

 to select from among the troops one of the strongest men to carry 

 it into the presence of my superior. Scarcely had this load been 

 placed on the spahi's shoulders than he sank beneath its weight ; 

 and, for want of more suitable means, a stable wheel-barrow 

 ultimately had to be employed for the purpose. 



" Lakdar returned to look at it in the evening. Next day he 

 was there again to have a last glance ere it was carried away by 

 the purchaser. 



" Comparing this one with the finest Lions I have seen in 

 menageries or in the Jardiu des Plants, it was as a Horse to 

 an Ass."* 



The celebrated Lion-killer perished in 1866 ; but not beneath 

 the claws of one of the race he had so often caused to bite the 

 dust. He met an accidental and obscure death while crossins' a 

 river, during an excursion which had not even Lion-hunting for 

 its object. 



We wiU. terminate this brief history of the king of animals, by 

 noticing the efforts which have been sometimes made to subdue 

 his carnivorous instincts. 



A false idea is generallj^ entertained with regard to these great 

 carnivorous animals. It is looked upon as an almost sufierhuman 

 task to overcome their ferocity, and to tame them. From this 

 supposition arises the admiration of the crowd for those people 

 who enter Lions' cages. Such exhibitions, however, have nothing 

 astonishing in them when we know that the Lion, far from being 

 incapable of training, readily submits to it. Frequent examples 

 of this have occurred ia the various zoological establishments 

 in Europe. 



* From the great improvements in gunnery, the danger of shooting large game has 

 much decreased : I am assured by Mr. J. D. Dougall, the celebrated rifle manu- 

 facturer, that of late years it ia not uncommon to kill a Tiger or Lion at the first 

 fire. — Ed. 



