MAN AND THE LION. 
223 
the mere pleasure of killing, but for food, and to 
defend himself from attack.” 
That the lion in the daytime, unless previously 
provoked, or exasperated by hunger, almost in¬ 
variably retreats at the sight of a man, or on hearing 
him approach, is a fact that almost every traveller 
or sportsman (myself amongst the rest) who have 
visited Southern Africa can testify to. 
Harris, for instance, at page 258 of his enter¬ 
taining work, says 
“ Scarcely a day passed without our seeing two or 
three lions, but, like the rest of the animal creation, 
they uniformly retreated when disturbed by the 
approach of men. However troublesome we found 
the intrusions of the feline race during the night, 
they seldom, at any other time, showed the least 
disposition to molest us unless we commenced 
hostilities; and this, owing to the badness of our 
horses, we rarely felt disposed to do.” 
Delegorgue testifies to the same effect. “ At the 
sound of a man’s steps or voice, the lion, whether 
hidden in the wooded dell, in the deep ravine, 
or stretched at length in the rank grass, will 
start from his hiding-place, and make a precipitate 
retreat. In the bush he effects it noiselessly, and 
by stealth; but in the more exposed localities, it is 
done slowly and with extreme caution, fearing, 
perhaps, to compromise his dignity. He may then 
be seen to turn round repeatedly, with a careless 
air, as if his mind was pre-occupied, but at the same 
time always taking care to increase the distance 
between himself and his pursuer. Shout to him, 
