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CHAPTER XIII. 
ARMS BEST SUITED FOR LION-SHOOTING—THE LION’S RAGE AT A 
BTJLLET—TENACITY OF LIFE—WOUNDS INFLICTED BY A DYING 
LION—SAFEGUARDS — CAPE-HORSES — REFLECTIONS ON LION- 
HTJNTING—SIGNS OF THE LION’S WRATH—ALLEGED COWARDICE 
—THE ALGERINE LION. 
A S regards the best weapons for lion shooting, I 
feel somewhat incompetent to give an opinion. 
From the want of horses and other circumstances, I 
never, as I have said, systematically hunted the lion; 
and when I chanced to fall in with him, was seldom 
armed with other than an ordinary double-rifle of 
moderate calibre. Experienced African sportsmen, 
I am aware, recommend such as carry ten or twelve 
balls to the pound; but, to say nothing of the com¬ 
mon-sized rifle being much more handy, I am not 
sure that, if the ball be well placed, it will not do 
its business just as effectually as a larger one. 
In any case, that the ball should be hardened, or, 
what is better, steel-pointed, is, I believe, admitted 
by everyone—the skull and bones of the lion not 
being easily penetrated. 
The Dutch Boers, however, amongst whom are 
many first-rate chasseurs , would seem to prefer the 
single to the double rifle; and that from the belief, 
