CHAPTER IX.
A LION COUCHANT.
They had not proceeded an hundred steps when an object appeared beforethem 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 totake--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 lowbush; but, thanks to the locusts, this bush was leafless, and its thinnaked twigs formed no concealment for so large a creature as a lion. Histawny hide shone conspicuously through them.
The truth is, he had not been there when the horsemen passed towards thekraal. He had just fled from among the carcasses, on seeing themapproach; and had skulked around the walls, and then run to their rear.He had executed this manoeuvre to avoid an encounter--for a lion reasonsas a man does, though not to the same extent. Seeing the horsemen comethat way, his reasoning powers were strong enough to tell him that theywere not likely to return by the same path. It was more natural theyshould continue on. A man, ignorant of all the preceding eventsconnected with their journey, would have reasoned much in the same way.If you have been at all observant, you have seen other animals--such asdogs, deer, hares, or even birds--act just as the lion did on thisoccasion.
Beyond a doubt the intellectual process described passed through themind of this lion; and he had skulked round to shun an encounter withthe three travellers.
Now a lion will not always act so--though he will in five cases out ofsix, or oftener. Hence very erroneous views are held in relation to thecourage of this animal. Some naturalists, led away by what appears to bea feeling of envy or anger, accuse the lion of downright _cowardice_,denying him a single noble quality of all those that have from earliesttimes been ascribed to him! Others, on the contrary, assert that heknows no fear, either of man or beast; and these endow him with manyvirtues besides courage. Both parties back up their views, not by mereassertions, but by an ample narration of well-attested facts!
How is this? There is a dilemma here. Both cannot be right in theiropinions? And yet, odd as it may appear to say so, both _are_ right in acertain 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 thislittle volume we have no room. I think, however, boy reader, I cansatisfy you with an analogy.
Answer me--Do you know any species of animal, the individuals of whichare exactly alike in character? Think over the dogs of youracquaintance! Are they alike, or anything near it? Are not some of themnoble, generous, faithful, brave to the death? Are not others mean,sneaking, cowardly curs? So is it with lions. Now, you are satisfiedthat 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 ofthe day--but, above all, the sort of hunters that belong to the districthe inhabits.
This last fact appears quite natural to those who believe in theintellect of animals, which of course _I_ do. It is perfectly naturalthat the lion, as well as other animals, should soon learn the characterof his enemy, and fear him or not, as the case may be. Is this not anold story with us? If I remember aright, we had a talk upon this subjectwhen speaking of the crocodiles of America. We remarked that thealligator of the Mississippi rarely attacks man in modern times; but ithas not been always so. The rifle of the alligator-leather hunter hastamed its ferocity. The very _same species_ in South America eatsIndians by scores every year; and the crocodile of Africa is dreaded insome parts even more than the lion!
It is asserted that the lions of the Cape are more cowardly in somedistricts than in others. They are less brave in those districts wherethey have been "jaged" by the courageous and stalwart boer with his longloud-cracking "roer."
Beyond the frontier, where they have no enemy but the tiny arrow of theBushman (who does not desire to kill them!) and the slender "assegai" ofthe Bechuana, the lion has little or no fear of man.
Whether the one, before the eyes of our party, was naturally a braveone, could not yet be told. He was one with a huge black mane, or"schwart-fore life," as the boers term it; and these are esteemed thefiercest and most dangerous. The "yellow-maned,"--for there isconsiderable variety in the colour of the Cape lions--is regarded aspossessing less courage; but there is some doubt about the truth ofthis. The young "black-manes" may often be mistaken for the true yellowvariety, and their character ascribed to him to his prejudice,--for theswarthy colour of the mane only comes after the lion is many years ofage.
Whether the "schwart-fore life" was a fierce and brave one, Von Bloomdid not stay to think about. It was evident that the edge had been takenoff 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 peacefullyaway, they might have continued their journey without ever seeing orhearing of him again.
But the field-cornet had no such intention. He had lost his preciousoxen and cattle. _That_ lion had pulled down some of them, at least. TheDutch blood was up, and if the beast had been the strongest and fiercestof his tribe, he was bound to be brought out of that bush.
Ordering the others to remain where they were, Von Bloom advanced onhorseback until within about fifty paces of where the lion lay. Here hedrew up, coolly dismounted, passed the bridle over his arm, stuck hisloading-rod into the ground, and knelt down behind it.
You will fancy he would have been safer to have kept his saddle, as thelion cannot overtake a horse. True; but the lion would have been safertoo. It is no easy matter to fire correctly from any horse; but when themark happens to be a grim lion, he is a well-trained steed that willstand sufficiently firm to admit of a true aim. A shot from the saddleunder such circumstances is a mere chance shot; and the field-cornet wasnot in the mood to be satisfied with a chance shot. Laying his roerathwart 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 himand the hunter; but he could hardly have believed that it sufficed toconceal him. Far from it. His yellow flanks were distinctly visiblethrough the thorny twigs, and his head could be seen with his muzzle andwhiskers stained red with the blood of the oxen.
No--he did not believe himself hid. A slight growl, with one or twoshakes of his tail, proved the contrary. He lay still, however, as lionsusually 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 until Von Bloompulled trigger; and then with a scream he sprang several feet into theair. The hunter had been afraid of the twigs causing his bullet toglance off; but it was plain it had told truly, for he saw the fur flyfrom the side of the 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 showinghis fearful teeth. His mane, now on end, seemed to have doubled hissize. He looked as large as a bull!
In a few seconds' time he had crossed the distance that separated himfrom the hunter, but the latter was gone far from that spot. The momenthe had delivered his fire, he leaped upon his well-trained horse, androde off towards the others.
All three were for a short while together--Hendrik holding his yaegercocked and ready, while Swartboy grasped his bow and arrows. But thelion dashed forward before either could fire; and they were obliged tospur and gallop out of his way.
Swartboy had ridden to one side, while Von Bloom and Hendrik took theother; and the game was now between the two parties--both of which hadpulled up at some distance off.
The lion, after the failure of his charge, halted, and looked first atone, then at the other--as if uncertain which to pursue.
His appearance at this moment was terrible beyond expression. His wholefierce nature was roused. His mane stood erect--his tail lashed his
flanks--his mouth, widely open, showed the firm-set trenchantteeth--their white spikes contrasting with the red blood that clottedhis cheeks and snout, while his angry roaring added horror to hisappearance.
But none of the three were terrified out of their senses. Hendrik atthis moment covered him with his rifle, took cool aim, and fired; whileat the same instant Swartboy sent an arrow whistling through the air.
Both had aimed truly. Both bullet and arrow struck; and the shaft of thelatter could be seen sticking in the lion's thigh.
The fierce brute that up to this time had exhibited the most determinedcourage, now seemed overcome with a sudden fear. Either the arrow or oneof the bullets must have sickened him with the combat; for, dropping hismop-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!