228 
THE LION. 
balls in his carcase. The lioness respects him, and 
consents to be wooed by him only when he has 
destroyed the rest of her suitors. 5 ’ 
But is all this gospel ? I think not. To me it 
seems that “a lion is a lion all the world over; 55 
in other words, that his courage, and other 
qualities, are about on a par in every country. 
We have at least the testimony of Harris and 
Delamaine—who everyone must admit are compe¬ 
tent judges of the matter—that the Indian and 
South African Lion are identical in every respect, 
courage included; why, therefore, should there be 
so great a difference between the latter and that of 
Northern Africa, as Gerard tells us is the case ? It 
is certainly possible that, from the terrible ravages 
(as will presently be shewn) those beasts commit 
in Algeria amongst the cattle, where, in conse¬ 
quence, every man’s hand is against them, they 
become more than commonly savage and ferocious, 
and lose that fear and respect for the human form 
divine usually entertained by carnivorous animals; 
but even admitting this to be the case, the difficulty 
is not altogether cleared up. 
Amongst other instances adduced by Gerard, or 
his critic, of the extraordinary bravery of the Al¬ 
gerian lion, is the fact of his having been known 
<s calmly to brave forty muskets levelled at his noble 
head.” A great proof of courage, no doubt, but 
surely it was equalled, if not surpassed, on the occa¬ 
sion mentioned by Gordon Cumming, of a lion facing 
not only forty, but two-hundred-and-fifty armed 
men; and had they not taken the alarm and hastily 
