HABITS Of THE LION. 
76 
afraid to mako a spring. On another occasion, one of our 
party was lying sound asleep and unconscious of danger 
botwoon two nativos behind a bush at Mashiio; tko fire was 
nearly out at their feet in conscqucnco of all being com. 
plotoly tired out by tho fatigues of the previous day : a lion 
aamo up to within three yards of tho firo, and there com. 
monced roaring instoad of making a spring: the fact of 
thoir riding-ox being tied to tho bush was tho only reason 
tho lion had for not following his instinct and making a 
meal of flesh. Ho then stood on a knoll throo hundred 
yards distant, and roared all night, and continued his 
growling as tho party moved off by daylight next morning. 
Nothing that I over loarnod of the lion would load mo to 
attribute to it cither tho ferocious or noblo character ascribed 
to it olsowhero. It possesses nono of tho nobility of tho 
Newfoundland or St. Bornnrd dogs. With respect to its 
great strength there can bo no doubt. Tho immenso massos 
of musclo around its jaws, shoulders, and foroarms pro- 
claim tromendous forco. Tlioy would scorn, howover, to 
bo inferior in power to thoso of tho Indian tigor. Most of 
those feats of strength that I havo seen performed by lions, 
such as tho taking away of an ox, wore not carrying, but 
dragging or trailing tho carcass along tho ground: thoy 
havo sprung on some occasions on to tho hind-quarters ol 
a horso, but no ono has ovor scon thorn on tho withers of 
a giraffo. They do not mount on tho hind-quarters of an 
aland oven, but try to tear him down with thoir claws. 
Mossrs. Oswoll and Vardon onco saw throo lions endeavor- 
ing to drag down a buffalo, and thoy wore unablo to do so 
fcr a timo, though ho was thon mortally woundod by a 
two-ounco ball.* 
* This singular enoounter, in the words of on oye-witness, happened 
M follows : — 
“My South African Journal is now before me, and I havo got bold of 
*he aocount of the lion and buffalo affair ; here it is : — ‘ loth September, 
1&4A OeweU and I were riding this afternoon along the banks of the 
7 * 
