They had not proceeded an hundred steps when an object appeared before
them that caused all three to draw bridle suddenly and simultaneously.
That object was a lion!
He was couched upon the plain directly in the path they intended to
take--the very same path by which they had come!
How was it they had not seen him before? He was under the lee of a low
bush; but, thanks to the locusts, this bush was leafless, and its thin
naked twigs formed no concealment for so large a creature as a lion.
His tawny hide shone conspicuously through them.
The truth is, he had not been there when the horsemen passed towards the
kraal. He had just fled from among the carcasses, on seeing them
approach; and had skulked around the walls, and then run to their rear.
He had executed this manoeuvre to avoid an encounter--for a lion reasons
as a man does, though not to the same extent. Seeing the horsemen come
that way, his reasoning powers were strong enough to tell him that they
were not likely to return by the same path. It was more natural they
should continue on. A man, ignorant of all the preceding events
connected with their journey would have reasoned much in the same way.
If you have been at all observant, you have seen other animals--such as
dogs, deer, hares, or even birds--act just as the lion did on this
occasion.
Beyond a doubt the intellectual process described passed through the
mind of this lion; and he had skulked round to shun an encounter with
the three travellers.
Now a lion will not always act so--though he will in five cases out of
six, or oftener. Hence very erroneous views are held in relation to the
courage of this animal. Some naturalists, led away by what appears to
be a feeling of envy or anger, accuse the lion of downright _cowardice_,
denying him a single noble quality of all those that have from earliest
times been ascribed to him! Others, on the contrary, assert that he
knows no fear, either of man or beast; and these endow him with many
virtues besides courage. Both parties back up their views, not by mere
assertions, but by an ample narration of well-attested facts!
How is this? There is a dilemma here. Both cannot be right in their
opinions? And yet, odd as it may appear to say so, both _are_ right in
a certain sense.
The fact is, _some lions are cowardly, while others are brave_.
The truth of this might be shown by whole pages of facts, but in this
little volume we have not room. I think, however, boy reader, I can
satisfy you with an analogy.
Answer me--Do you know any species of animal, the individuals of which
are exactly alike in character? Think over the dogs _of your
acquaintance_! Are they alike, or anything near it? Are not some of
them noble, generous, faithful, brave to the death? Are not others
mean, sneaking, cowardly curs? So is it with lions.
Now, you are satisfied that my statement about the lions may be true.
There are many causes to affect the courage and ferocity of the lion.
His age--the state of his stomach--the season of the year--the hour of
the day--but, above all, the _sort of hunters that belong to the
district he inhabits_.
This last fact appears quite natural to those who believe in the
_intellect_ of animals, which of course _I_ do. It is perfectly natural
that the lion, as well as other animals, should soon learn the character
of his enemy, and fear him or not, as the case may be. Is this not an
old story with us? If I remember aright, we had a talk upon this
subject when speaking of the crocodiles of America. We remarked that
the alligator of the Mississippi rarely attacks man in modern times; but
it has not been always so. The rifle of the alligator-leather hunter
has tamed its ferocity. The very _same species_ in South America eats
Indians by scores every year; and the crocodile of Africa is dreaded in
some parts even more than the lion!
It is asserted that the lions of the Cape are more cowardly in some
districts than in others. They are less brave in those districts where
they have been "jaged" by the courageous and stalwart boor with his long
loud-cracking "roer."
Beyond the frontier, where they have no enemy but the tiny arrow of the
Bushman (who does not desire to kill them!) and the slender "assegai" of
the Bechuana, the lion has little or no fear of man.
Whether the one, before the eyes of our party, was naturally a brave
one, could not yet be told. He was one with a huge black mane, or
"schwart-fore life," as the boors term it; and these are esteemed the
fiercest and most dangerous. The "yellow-maned,"--for there is
considerable variety in the colour of the Cape lions--is regarded as
possessing less courage; but there is some doubt about the truth of
this. The young "black-manes" may often be mistaken for the true yellow
variety, and their character ascribed to him to his prejudice,--for the
swarthy colour of the mane only comes after the lion is many years of
age.
Whether the "schwart-fore life" was a fierce and brave one, Von Bloom
did not stay to think about. It was evident that the edge had been
taken off the animal's appetite. It was evident he did not meditate an
attack; and that had the horsemen chosen to make a detour, and ride
peacefully away, they might have continued their journey without ever
seeing or hearing of him again.
But the field-cornet had no such intention. He had lost his precious
oxen and cattle. _That_ lion had pulled down some of them, at least.
The Dutch blood was up, and if the beast had been the strongest and
fiercest of his tribe, he was bound to be brought out of that bush.
Ordering the others to remain where they were, Von Bloom advanced on
horseback until within about fifty paces of where the lion lay. Here he
drew up, coolly dismounted, passed the bridle over his arm, stuck his
loading-rod into the ground, and knelt down behind it.
You will fancy he would have been safer to have kept his saddle, as the
lion cannot overtake a horse. True; but the lion would have been safer
too. It is no easy matter to fire correctly from any horse, but when
the mark happens to be a grim lion, he is a well-trained steed that will
stand sufficiently firm to admit of a true aim. A shot from the saddle
under such circumstances is a mere chance shot; and the field-cornet was
not in the mood to be satisfied with a chance shot. Laying his roer
athwart the loading-rod, and holding the long barrel steady against it,
he took deliberate aim through the ivory sights.
During all this time the lion had not stirred. The bush was between him
and the hunter; but he could hardly have believed that it sufficed to
conceal him. Far from it. His yellow flanks were distinctly visible
through the thorny twigs, and his head could be seen with his muzzle and
whiskers stained red with the blood of the oxen.
No--he did not believe himself hid. A slight growl, with one or two
shakes of his tail, proved the contrary. He lay still however, as lions
usually do, until more nearly approached. The hunter, as already
stated, was full fifty yards from him.
Excepting the motion of his tail, he made no other till Von Bloom pulled
trigger; and then with a scream he sprang several feet into the air.
The hunter had been afraid of the twigs causing his bullet to glance
off; but it was plain it had told truly, for he saw the fur fly from the
side of that lion where it struck him.
It was but a wound; and not deadly, as soon appeared.
With long bounds the angry brute came on--lashing his tail, and showing
his fearful teeth. His mane, now on end, seemed to have doubled his
size. He looked as large as a bull!
In a _few_ seconds time he had crossed the distance that separated him
from the hunter, but the latter was gone far from that spot. The moment
he had delivered his fire, he leaped upon his well-trained horse, and
rode off towards the others.
All three were for a short while together--Hendrik holding his yager
cocked and ready, while Swartboy grasped his bow and arrows. But the
lion dashed forward before either could fire; and they were obliged to
spur and gallop out of his way.
Swartboy had ridden to one side, while Von Bloom and Hendrik took the
other; and the game was now between the two parties--both of which had
pulled up at some distance off.
The lion, after the failure of his charge, halted, and looked first at
one, then at the other--as if uncertain which to pursue.
His appearance at this moment was terrible beyond expression. His whole
fierce nature was roused. His mane stood erect--his tail lasher his
flanks--his mouth, widely open, showed the firm-set trenchant teeth--
their white spikes contrasting with the red blood that clotted his
cheeks and snout, while his angry roaring added horror to his
appearance.
But none of the three were terrified out of their senses. Hendrik at
this moment covered him with his rifle, took cool aim, and fired; while
at the same instant Swartboy sent an arrow whistling through the air.
Both had aimed truly. Both bullet and arrow struck; and the shaft of
the latter could be seen sticking in the lion's thigh.
The fierce brute that up to this time had exhibited the most determined
courage, now seemed overcome with a sudden fear. Either the arrow or
one of the bullets must have sickened him with the combat; for, dropping
his mop-like tail to a level with the line of his back, he broke away;
and, trotting sulkily forward, sprang in at the door of the kraal!