90 
THE LION. 
culty. Sparrman was assured by two fario^^^ 
on whose veracity he could rely, that, whei' 
hunting near Bosjesman’s River with severe* 
Hottentots, they perceived a lion dragging ^ 
buffalo from the plain to a wood upon a neig^’" 
bouring hill. They soon forced him to qU** 
his prey, in order to make prize of it theiH' 
selves, and found that he had had the sagacit)' 
to take out the heavy entrails of the buffi''’ 
to lighten the carcase. It is not by strengt*’ 
alone, however, that he conquers so large 
animal, for which purpose he is obliged t'’ 
resort both to agility and stratagem. Stea'" 
ing upon the buffalo, he fastens with both 
fore-paws upon the mouth and nostrils of th^ 
beast, which he squeezes close together t"' I 
the poor animal is stifled. One of°the colo' ' 
nists was said to have witnessed a circur*^' 
stance of this kind, and others asserted 
they had seen buffaloes which must have eS' 
caped from the clutches of lions, bearing mark« 
