70 THE WONDERS OF THE ANIMAL KINGDOM. 



growl at the lion, and even to dispute with him the food which was thrown to them ; hut the nohle 

 animal was never known to chastise the impertinent conduct of his little companion, hut usually 

 suffered him to eat quietly till he was satisfied, before he began his own repast. 



It is in the interior of Africa that the lion exerts his greatest ravages, and reigns superior among 

 the weaker quadrupeds. His habitation is in the thickest parts of the forest, and he is seldom seen 

 by day, but, when night approaches, he quits his retreat, and prowls about till morning. The roaring 

 of the animal when in quest of prey is generally said to resemble the sound of thunder, and being 

 re-echoed by the rocks and mountains appals the whole race of animals. Frequently, however, he 

 varies his voice into a sort of scream or yell. His strength is so great, that he has been seen to carry 

 off, with apparent ease, a middle-sized ox, or even a buffalo. He usually knocks down his prey with 

 his paw, and seldom bites it till he has given it the mortal blow. His teeth are so strong that he 

 breaks the largest bones with ease, and swallows them with the flesh. He usually conceals himself in 

 a thicket, from which he darts upon his prey, and if he chance to miss his aim, he will not follow, 

 but turns back to ^the place from which he sprung on it, slowly, and step by step, as it were, 

 measuring the distance between the two points, as if to find cut how much too short, or how much 

 beyond the mark he had taken his leap. The quality of his courage, though natural, is exalted or 

 depressed according to the success with which he habitually employs his force. Accustomed to mea- 

 sure his strength by that of other animals which he encounters, the habit of conquest renders him 

 haughty and intrepid. Wounds irritate, but do not terrify him ; neither is he dismayed at the sight 

 of numbers. A single lion of the desert has been known to attack a whole caravan, and if, after a 

 violent and obstinate engagement, he finds himself weakened, he retreats righting, and always keeping 

 his face to the enemy 



The lion is commonly said to devour as much at once as will serve him two or three days, and in 

 confinement lie is usually allowed about four pounds" weight of raw flesh for his daily subsistence. 

 His tongue is furnished with reversed prickles, so large and strong as to be capable of lacerating the 

 skin. When he is enraged, or in want of food, he erects and shakes his mane, and beats his tail with 

 considerable violence against his back and sides. In this state, the inhabitants of the Cape assert that 

 it is certain death to any person who happens unfortunately to approach him ; but when his mane and 

 tail are at rest, and the animal is in a placid humour, travellers may, in general, pass near him with 

 safety. 



The lion is frequently hunted at the Cape of Good Hope for the sake of his skin and flesh ; the latter 

 is esteemed by some as excellent food, and is often eaten by the Negroes. The colonists of the Cape 

 hunt him with dogs ; and it is reported that twelve or sixteen are sufficient to overcome one lion. As 

 the lion is less swift than the dogs, the latter easily approach him ; when, from a greatness of soul 

 and a degree of sullen magnanimity, the lion turns round, and waits for the attack, shaking his mane, 

 and roaring with a short and sharp tone, or sits down to face them. The hounds then surround him, 

 and rushing upon him all at once, are thus, by their united efforts, able to subdue or tear him in pieces. 



The lion is said to prefer the flesh of a Hottentot to that of any other animal, and next to the flesh 

 of the Hottentot, that of horses and buffaloes ; but on sheep he seldom deigns to fix his paw. 



