CHAPTER XI.

SIGHTS IN THE WORLD'S MENAGERIE.

Man in the Jaws of the Lion-Meeting the Great Beast---Death from the Stroke of a Paw-Jacob Bok's Adventure-Lion's Gratitude-Magnanimity of the King of Beasts-Shaking Mane and Lashing Tail-Tremendous Strength-Narrative of Brehm-Spectral Lemur-A Creature with Singular Eyes and Claws-Fine Tree-Climbers—The Babiroussa—Quadruple Tusks-A Restless and Ferocious Beast-White-Lipped Peccary-Plucky Fighters-Wart-Hog-A Dangerous Brute-Invader of Cultivated Fields-Expert Swimmer-Adventure of Captain Harris-The Lithe Panther-Supple Muscles of Great Strength-Sudden Spring— Thirst for Blood-Doctor Brehm's Remarkable Experience-An Old Dog-faced Baboon-Dreadful Encounter-Courage of a Malay Captain-The Tapir-An Omniverous Quadruped-Cousin of the Hippopotamus-A Fortunate NoseWhistling Tapirs-Tapir Domesticated-The Wallachian Sheep-Extraordinary Horns-Splendid Growth of Wool-Mountain Sheep of Bokhara-Horns of Surprising Size-A Dwelling on High Rocks-Flying Fox-Marvelous Membrane-Unique Product of the Animal Kingdom-Hanging from Forest Branches-Arctic Seals-Elegant Fur-Hunting the Seal-Sea-Elephant―The Walrus-Use of Tusks-Perils of Walrus Hunting.

T the present day lions are only found in Africa and Asia. Nor are they any longer to be seen in the Holy Land, though they are often alluded to in the Bible. It is a tawny animal, and is very strong. The African lion is different from the Asiatic, and the African lions themselves seem to consist of four or five kinds. It was formerly believed that they had prickles in their tails, which rendered them wilder and more furious when they lashed their sides. They are not often found in forests; they seem to like best the shelter of the low common that creeps along the sides of streams. The powerful brute sometimes carries off men.

A Cape lion has been known to seize a heifer in his mouth, and though the legs dragged upon the ground, he carried her off easily. Another conveyed a horse about a mile from the spot where he had killed it. Another, that had carried off a two-year old heifer, was followed on the spoor, or track, for five hours by horsemen, when it was found that throughout the long distance the heifer had touched the ground only once or twice. To avoid these blood-thirsty beasts, whole villages are sometimes built in the upper branches of trees. The African lion generally lives upon cows, calves, antelopes, and animals of this description.

Burchell, the traveller, gives an interesting account of his meeting one of these great beasts: The day was exceedingly pleasant, and there was not a cloud to be seen. For a mile or two we travelled along by the banks of the river, which in this part abounded in tall matrushes. The dogs seemed much to enjoy prowling about, and examining every bushy place, and at last met with some object among the bushes which caused them to set up a most vehement and determined barking. We explored the spot with caution, as we well knew, from the peculiar tone of their bark, that it was what we expected it to be-lions.

Having desired the dogs to drive them out, a task which they performed with great willingness, we had a full view of an enormous blackmaned lion and lioness. The latter was seen only for a minute, as she made her escape up the river under the concealment of the rushes; but the lion came steadily forward, and stood still to look at us. At this minute we felt our situation not free from danger, as the animal seemed preparing to spring upon us, and we were standing on the bank, at the distance of only a few yards, most of us being on foot and unarmed, without any visible opportunity of escaping. I had given up my horse to the hunters, and was on foot myself; but there was no time for fear, and it was useless to attempt avoiding him. I stood well upon my guard, holding my pistols in my hands with my finger upon the trigger; and those who had muskets kept themselves prepared in the same manner. But at this instant the dogs flew boldly in between us and the lion, and surrounding him, kept him at bay by their violent and resolute barking.

Facing the Monarch of the Forest.

The courage of those faithful dogs was most admirable; they advanced up to the side of the huge beast, and stood making the greatest clamor in his face, without the least appearance of fear. The lion, conscious of his strength, remained unmoved at their noisy attempts, and kept his head turned towards us. At one moment the dogs, perceiving his eye thus engaged, had advanced close to his feet, and seemed as if they would actually seize hold of him; but they paid dearly for their imprudence, for, without discomposing the majestic and steady attitude in which he stood fixed, he merely moved his paw, and at the next instant I beheld two lying dead. In doing this, he made so little exertion, that it was scarcely perceptible by what means they had been killed. Of the time which we gained by the interference of the dogs not a minute was lost. We fired upon him; one of the balls went through his side, just between the short ribs, and the blood began to flow, but the animal still remained standing in the same position. We had now no doubt that he

would spring upon us; every gun was instantly re-loaded; but, happily, we were mistaken, and were not sorry to see him move quietly away, though I had hoped in a few minutes to have been enabled to take hold of his paw without danger.

Even where the hunter has been seized with a panic and pursued, a timely recovery of self-possession has saved him. Sparrman relates that Jacob Bok, of Yee-koe-river, one day walking over his land with his loaded gun, unexpectedly met a lion. Being an excellent shot, he thought himself pretty certain, from the position he was in, of killing it, and therefore fired his piece. Unfortunately he did not recollect that the charge had been in it for some time, and therefore was damp, so that his piece. hung fire, and the ball falling short, entered the ground close to the lion.

In consequence of this he was seized with a panic, and took directly to his heels; but being soon out of breath, and closely pursued by the lion, he jumped up on a little heap of stones and there made a stand, presenting the butt-end of his gun to his adversary, fully resolved to defend his life as well as he could to the utmost. This deportment had such an effect upon his pursuer, that he also made a stand, and lay down at the distance of a few paces from the heap of stones, seemingly quite unconcerned. Jacob, in the meantime, did not stir from the spot; besides, he had in his flight unfortunately dropped his powder-horn. At length, after waiting a good half-hour, the lion rose up, and at first went very slowly, and step by step only, as if he had a mind to steal off; but as soon as he got to a greater distance, he began to bound away at a rapid rate.

Story of a Rescued Slave.

In old books of Natural History, there is a story about a slave, called by some Androcles, and others, as for instance Gellius, Androdus, who cured the foot of a lion, which had been dangerously wounded by a splinter. Some years afterwards, the lion was caught, and taken to the great circus at Rome, to form part of a show of wild beasts. One day the slave, perhaps for some great crime, was driven into the circus, to be devoured by the lions. His old friend immediately recognised him, and defended him with rare zeal and tenderness. The slave was liberated, and owed his life to the good memory of the wild beast.

Unless provoked, or very hungry, the lion does not attack any animal openly; but when roused by famine, he is said to fear no danger, and to be repelled by no resistance. Generally the lion takes his prey by springing or throwing himself upon it with one vast bound from the place of his concealment. Should he miss his leap, he will not follow his prey; but as though he were ashamed, turning around towards the place where

he lay in ambush, he slowly, and step by step, measures the exact length between the two points, as if to find how much too short he had taken his leap.

The lion is said to be a great coward or at least deficient in courage proportionate to his great strength.

There have been instances where the lion deviated from his mode of attack of springing upon his prey. He has often been seen to despise contemptible enemies and pardon their insults, when it was in his power

AN ODDITY OF THE ANIMAL KINGDOM-SPECTRAL LEMUR.

to have punished them. He has been known to spare the lives of such creatures as were thrown into his cage to be devoured by him, to live peaceably with him, to afford them part of his sustenance, and sometimes even to want food himself rather than deprive them of the life which his generosity had spared.

The lion is commonly said to devour as much at once as will serve him for two or three days, and in captivity he is usually allowed four pounds. of raw flesh for his daily subsistence. His jaws are so powerful that he