ADVENTURES WITH LIONS. 517 
fierce and active than the male, as a generalrule. Lionesses 
which have never had young are much more dangerous 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 dut elephant-hunting in the territory of the 
“Baseleka,” accompanied by two hundred and fifty men, I 
was astonished suddenly to behold a majestic lion slowly and 
steadily advancing toward us with a dignified step and 
undaunted bearing, the most noble and imposing that can 
be conceived. lLashing his tail from side to side, and growl- 
ing 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 
lioness was retreating in the back-ground. Facing about, 
he followed after them with a haughty and independent 
step, growling fiercely at the dogs which trotted along on 
either side of him. ‘Three troops of elephants having been 
discovered a few minutes previous to this, upon which I 
was marching for the attack, I, with the most heartfelt 
reluctance, reserved my fire. On running down the hill side 
to endeavor to recall my dogs, I observed, for the first time, 
the retreating lioness with four cubs. About twenty minutes 
afterwards two noble elephants repaid my forbearance. 
Among Indian Nimrods, a certain class of royal tigers 
