beat a retreat, which I very slowly did, talking to the lioness all the
time. She seemed undecided as to her future movements, and was gazing
after me, and snuffing the ground, when I last beheld her."

I copy the ensuing anecdote from Mr. Campbell's second journey to
Africa. "A lion had been near to a bushman's hut the whole night,
waiting, it was supposed for the arrival of his companions, to assist in
attacking the family; and if they had made the attack in conjunction
with each other, it is probable they would have met with success. Two
Bootchuana herdsmen, attending near the place next morning, saw him and
ran to inform the people. On their way they met six Griquas coming to
attack the formidable creature, having already heard he was there.
Advancing towards him, they fired, and wounded, but did not disable him.
Enraged by pain, he advanced to take revenge on his assailants. On
seeing him approach, the Griquas leaped from their horses, formed them
into a close line with their tails towards the lion, and took their
stand at the horse's heads. The enraged animal flew upon a Bootchuana
who was not protected by the horses, and who tried to defend himself
with his kaross, or skin cloak. The lion, however, caught him by the
arm, threw him on the ground; and while the poor man still tried to
defend himself, by keeping the kaross round him, the lion got under it,
and gnawed part of his thigh. His Bootchuana companion at that time
threw his assagai, which entered the lion's back. The Griquas would have
fired, but were afraid of shooting the man; in order then to drive him
away, they made a great noise, and threw some stones. The lion then left
the man, and rushed on them, when they again checked his attack by
turning the horses round. He next crept under the belly of a mare, and
seized her by the fore legs, but with a powerful kick she made him let
go his hold. In revenge, and by one stroke of his paw, he tore open the
body of the mare, and retired. After this, he tried to get round the
horses to the men, but when on the point of making a spring, he was
happily killed by a musket ball, the ball penetrating behind the ear."

It is singular, says Mr. Sparrman in his African travels, that the lion
is reported frequently, although provoked, to content himself with
sometimes only wounding the human species, or at least to wait some time
before he gives the fatal blow to the unhappy victim he has got under
him. A farmer had the