20 
CARNIVORA. 
blow will divide the spine of a horse, and that the 
power of its teeth and jaws will break the largest 
bones. 
When the flight of its intended victim does not 
compel the lion to pursue by dint of speed, a certain 
deliberative mode of action seems peculiar to it, 
especially when it is induced to attack during day, 
as in the case of Von Wyk, the Dutch African boor, 
as related by Lichtenstein. He says, ‘‘ My wife was 
sitting within the house, near the door ; the children 
were playing about her ; and I was without, near the 
house, busied in doing something to a waggon, when 
suddenly, though it was mid-day, an enormous lion 
appeared, came up, and laid himself quietly down in 
the shade, upon the very threshold of the door. My 
wife, either frozen with fear, or aware of the danger 
attending any attempt to flee, remained motionless 
in her place, while the children took refuge in her 
lap. The cry they uttered attracted my attention, 
and I hastened toward the door ; but my astonish- 
ment may well be conceived, when I found the en- 
trance to it barred in such a way. Although the 
animal had not seen me, unarmed as I was, escape 
seemed impossible ; yet I glided gently, scarcely 
knowing what I meant to do, to the side of the house, 
and up to the window of my chamber, where I knew 
my loaded gun was standing. By a most happy 
chance I had set it in the corner, close by the win- 
dow ; and, still more fortunately, the door of the 
room was open, so that I could see the whole danger 
of the scene. The lion was beginning to move, per- 
