POLTROONERY OF THE ETON. 
225 
Moffatt is amongst those who have no very high 
opinion of the lion’s courage, at least in the day¬ 
time. He even goes so far as to say cc that, with 
all the beast’s boldness, he sometimes proves an 
arrant coward,” and in proof thereof, relates 
several instances of his seeming poltroonery. 
Amongst others, he says “ that he has known 
the Bushmen, and even women and children, to 
drive the lion from the prey he has just seized, 
by beating their sticks on dry hides and shouting.” 
He also states “ that he remembered a man having 
come unexpectedly on a lion, and fainting at the 
sight. The beast raised himself up to look over the 
bushes, and seeing no one, he suspected a plot, and 
scampered off with his tail between his legs.” 
Then, after relating the manner in which a native 
had been followed by a lion, the Missionary goes on 
to say :— 
“ At length the animal lay down at the foot of 
the tree up which the poor fellow had taken refuge, 
and kept watch all night. Towards morning, how¬ 
ever, sleep overcame the hitherto watchful Bush¬ 
man. He dreamt that he had fallen into the lion’s 
mouth, and awaking at the moment he, in a state 
of fright and bewilderment, lost his balance, and, 
falling from amongst the branches, alighted heavily 
on the back of the beast, on which the monster, 
thus unexpectedly saluted, ran off with a loud roar; 
and the Bushman, also taking to his heels in an 
opposite direction, returned in safety to his anxious 
parents.” 
As regards the hours of darkness, nevertheless, 
Q 
