140 HABITS OF THE LION. Chap. VII. 



In general the lion seizes the animal he is attacking by the 

 flank near the hind leg, or by the throat below the jaw. It is 

 questionable whether he ever attempts to seize an animal by the 

 withers. The flank is the most common point of attack, and that 

 is the part he begins to feast on first. The natives and lions are 

 very similar in their tastes in the selection of tit-bits : an eland 

 may be seen disembowelled by a lion, so completely, that he 

 scarcely seems cut up at all. The bowels and fatty parts form a 

 full meal for even the largest lion. The jackal comes sniffing 

 about, and sometimes suffers for his temerity by a stroke from 

 the lion's paw laying him dead. When gorged, the lion falls fast 

 asleep and is then easily despatched. Hunting a lion with dogs 

 involves very little danger as compared with hunting the Indian 

 tiger ; because the dogs bring him out of cover and make him 

 stand at bay, giving the hunter plenty of time for a good deli- 

 berate shot. 



Where game is abundant, there you may expect lions in propor- 

 tionately large numbers. They are never seen in herds, but six 

 or eight, probably one family, occasionally hunt together. One 



' off. Oswell and I followed as soon as I had reloaded, and when we were in 

 ' sight of the huffalo, and gaining on him at every stride, three lions leapt on the 

 ' unfortunate brute ; he bellowed most lustily as he kept up a kind of running 

 ' fight ; but he was, of course, soon overpowered and pulled down. We had a 

 ' fine view of the struggle, and saw the lions on their hind legs tearing away 

 ' with teeth and claws in most ferocious style. We crept up within thirty 

 ' yards, and, kneeling down, blazed away at the lions. My rifle was a single 

 ' barrel, and I had no spare gun. One lion fell dead almost on the buffalo ; 

 ' he had merely time to turn towards us, seize a bush with his teeth, and drop 

 ' dead with the stick in his jaws. The second made off immediately ; and 

 ' the third raised his head, coolly looked round for a moment, then went on 

 ' tearing and biting at the carcase as hard as ever. We retired a short distance 

 ' to load, then again advanced and fired. The lion made off, but a ball that he 

 ' received ought to have stopped him, as it went clean through his shoulder- 

 1 blade. He was followed up and killed, after having charged several times. 

 ' Both lions were males. It is not often that one bags a brace of lions and a 

 ' bull buffalo in about ten minutes. It was an exciting adventure, and I shall 

 1 never forget it.' 



" Such, my dear Livingstone, is the plain, unvarnished account. The 

 buffalo had, of course, gone close to where the lions were lying down for the 

 day ; and they, seeing him lame and bleeding, thought the opportunity too 

 good a one to be lost. 



" Ever yours, 



"Frank Vardon." 



