'"™^^ARLESSNESS OP THE LION. 175 



tinues lapping up the water for a long while, and four 

 or five times during the proceeding he pauses for half 

 a minute as if to take breath. One thing conspicuous 

 about them is their eyes, which, in a dark night, glow 

 like two balls of fire. The female is more fierce and 

 active than the male, as a general rule. Lionesses 

 which have never had young are much more danger- 

 ous than those which have. At no time is the lion so 

 much to be dreaded as when his partner has got small 

 young ones. At that season he knows no fear, and, in 

 the coolest and most intrepid manner, he will face a 

 thousand men. A remarkable instance of this kind 

 came under my own observation, which confirmed the 

 reports I had before heard from the natives. One day, 

 when out elephant-hunting in the territory of the "Ba- 

 seleka," accompanied by two hundred and fifty men, I 

 was astonished suddenly to behold a majestic lion slow- 

 ly and steadily advancing toward us with a dignified 

 step and undaunted bearing, the most noble and impos- 

 ing that can be conceived. Lashing his tail from side 

 to side, and growling haughtily, his terribly expressive 

 eye resolutely fixed upon us, and displaying a show of 

 ivory well calculated to inspire terror among the timid 

 " Bechuanas," he approached. A headlong flight of the 

 two hundred and fifty men was the immediate result; 

 and, in the confusion of the moment, four couples of my 

 dogs, which they had been leading, were allowed to 

 escape in their couples. These instantly faced the lion, 

 who, finding that by his bold bearing he had succeeded 

 in putting his enemies to flight, now became solicitous 

 for the safety of his little family, with which the lion- 

 ess was retreating in the baok-ground. Facing about, 

 he followed after them with a haughty and independent 

 step, growling fiercely at the dogs which trotted along 



