generally retreat before the presence of
man; but he does not retreat cowardly, like the leopard or hyena, and
others. He never slinks away, he appears calmly to survey his opponent,
as apparently measuring his prowess. I should say that the lion seems to
have a secret impression that man is not his natural prey, and although
he will not always give place to him, he will not attack him, if, in the
first place, the man shows no sign of fear, and in the second, no signs
of hostility.

"But this instinctive deference to man is not to be reckoned upon. He
may be very angry, he may be very hungry, he may have been just
disappointed in taking his prey, or he may be accompanied by the female
and cubs; in short, the animal's temper may have been ruffled, and in
this case he becomes dangerous.

"An old Namaqua chief with whom I was conversing, and who had been
accustomed to lions from childhood, fully corroborated these opinions,
and also that there is that in the eye of man before which the lion
quails. He assured me that the lion very seldom attacks a man, if not
provoked; but he will approach him within a few paces and survey him
steadily. Sometimes he attempts to get behind him, as if he could not
stand his look, but was desirous of springing upon him unawares. He
said, that if a man in such a case attempted to fly, he would run the
greatest danger, but that if he had presence of mind to confront the
animal, it would in almost every instance after a short time retire.

"Now I have already brought forward the instance of Muller and the lion,
as a proof of the effect of a man's eye upon the lion. I will now give
another, still more convincing, as the contact was still closer, and
the lion had even tasted blood.

"A boor of the name of Gyt was out with one of his neighbors hunting.
Coming to a fountain, surrounded as usual with tall reeds and rushes,
Gyt gave his gun to his comrade, and alighted to see if there was any
water remaining in it; but as he approached the fountain, an enormous
lion started up close at his side, and seized him by the left arm. Gyt,
although thus taken by surprise, stood motionless and without
struggling, for he was aware that the least attempt to escape would
occasion his immediate destruction. The animal also remained motionless,
holding Gyt fast by the arm with his fangs, but without biting it
severely, at the same time shutting his eyes, as if he could not
withstand the eyes of his victim fixed