pring upon him.

"An instance of that occurred to the great lion-hunter Diedrich Muller,
who mentioned it to me. He had been alone hunting in the wilds, when he
came suddenly upon a large lion, which, instead of giving way as they
usually do, seemed disposed, from the angry attitude which he assumed,
to dispute his progress.

"Muller instantly alighted, and, confident of his unerring aim, leveled
his gun at the forehead of the lion, which had crouched in the act to
spring, within sixteen paces of him; but as he fired, his horse, whose
bridle was round his arm, started back, and, jerking him aside, caused
him to miss; the lion bounded forward, but stopped within a few paces,
confronting Muller, who stood defenseless, as his gun was discharged,
and his horse had galloped off.

"The man and the beast stood looking each other in the face for a short
time. At length the lion moved backward, as if to go away. Muller began
loading his gun; the lion looked over his shoulder, growled, and
immediately returned to his former position within a few paces of
Muller. Muller stood still, with his eyes fixed on the animal. The lion
again moved cautiously off; when he was at a certain distance, Muller
proceeded to ram down his bullet. The lion again looked back and growled
angrily. Muller again was quiet, and the animal continued turning and
growling as it moved off, till at last it bounded away."

"You imagine then, that the lion is aware of the fatal effects of
fire-arms?" said the Major.

"It would appear so, not only on account of their being so angry if
presented at them, or being touched even when they are close to them,
but also from the greater respect the lion pays to man where fire-arms
are in use. The respect that he pays to men in the colony is not a
general custom of the animal.

"As I said before, the lion is more dangerous in this Bushman country;
because, in the first place, his awe of man has been removed, from his
invariably successful encounters with those who have no weapons of
force with which to oppose him; and, secondly, because he has but too
often tasted human flesh, after which a lion becomes more partial to it
than any other food.

"It is asserted, that when a lion has once succeeded in snatching some
unfortunate Bushman from his cave, he never fails to return regularly
every night, in hopes of another meal, until the horde is so harassed
that they are compelled to seek some other shelter. From apprehen