244 
THE LION. 
“The rhinoceros sometimes opposes them 
with great success when they venture to 
attack him,—which is not often; and Dr. 
Livingstone witnessed a conflict between a 
lion and an oryx (a large and splendid 
species of antelope) where the latter not 
only came off conqueror but actually killed 
his antagonist. The lion was crouched on 
a small rocky eminence, higher than his ad¬ 
versary, who stood at bay about twenty 
yards off, calm and collected, and presenting 
his beautiful head and sharp swordlike 
horns to the enemy. Several times the 
lion made a circuit, endeavouring to take 
the antelope in flank; but in vain, for he 
always found the horns opposed to him. At 
last, as if to bring matters to an issue, the 
oryx made a feint of retiring, when the lion 
instantly sprung and was received on his 
horns, which inflicted a severe wound. 
Three several times he repeated his attack, 
each time receiving a terrible hurt; and at 
the last spring the whole length of the horn 
was buried in his shoulder. He tottered 
and fell dead. The oryx slowly withdrew 
his horn, and, after a triumphant caper above 
his fallen adversary, trotted off. The Afri- 
