THRILLING ADVENTURES IN AFRICA. 
189 
which the lioness was retreating in the back-ground. Facing about, 
he followed after them with a haughty and independent step, growl¬ 
ing fiercely at the dogs which trotted along on each side of him. 
Three troops of elephants having been discovered a few minutes 
previous to this, upon which I was marching for the attack, I, with 
the most heartfelt reluctance, reserved my fire. On running down 
the hill side to endeavor to recall my dogs, I observed, for the first 
time, the retreating lioness with four cubs. About twenty minutes 
afterwards two noble elephants repaid my forbearance. 
Among Indian Nimrods, a certain class of royal tigers is digni¬ 
fied with the appellation of ''man-eaters.'’ These are tigers which, 
having once tasted human flesh, show a predilection for the same, 
and such characters are very naturally famed and dreaded among 
the natives. Elderly gentlemen of similar tastes and habits are 
occasionally met with among the lions in the interior of South 
Africa, and the danger of such neighbors may be easily imagined. 
THE MAN-EATER AT WORK. 
I account for lions first acquiring this taste in the following 
manner: some tribes of the far interior do not bury their dead, but 
unceremoniously carry them forth, and leave them lying exposed 
in the forest or on the plain, a prey to the lion and hysena, or the 
jackal and vulture; and I can readily imagine that a lion, having 
thus once tasted human flesh, would have little hesitation, when 
opportunity presented itself, of springing upon and carrying off the 
unwary traveler or native inhabiting his country. 
Be this as it may, man-eating occurs; and on my fourth hunt¬ 
ing expedition, a horrible tragedy was acted one dark night in my 
little lonely camp by one of these formidable characters, which 
deprived me, in the far wilderness, of my most valuable servant. 
In winding up these observations on the lion, I may remark that 
lion-hunting, under any circumstances, is decidedly a dangerous 
pursuit. It may nevertheless be followed, to a certain extent, with 
comparative safety by those who have naturally a turn for that sort 
of thing. 
A recklessness of death, perfect coolness and self-possession, 
