Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1856-03-20


pattern Of cOnjugAl attentions.
Our lion then is married. let US say. He is
the slave Of bis wife. II Is she who always
takes precedence when she stops he stops
On arriving st a doNar, (the collection Of tents
what We call villags,j for their supper,
she lies down while he leaps into the enclosure,
Snd brings to her the booty. He watches her
while she eats, taking care that no one shall
disturb her and not until her appetite is sat-
iS6ed does he begin his meal. When she feels
that she Is about to be mother, /. a, towards
the end Of December, they seek an isolated ra,
Hlne, and there, without the aid Of chlOrOform
or Dr.. LocOck, she presents her lord with one.
two, and sometimes three puppies, generally
one male and one female. n the reader has
ever seen and handled puppy lion, be will
understand the idolatry Of mother and father.
She never quits them for an instant, and he
only quits them 10 bring homs supper, When
they are three months old their weaving com.
menees. Their mother .ccustoms them grad
ually to it, BY absentiug herself for longer and
longer periods. and bringing them pieces Of
mutton carefully skinned. The father, whose
habitual demeanor is grave, becomes fatigued
with the friVious sports Of his children, and
for the sake Oftranquility removes bis lodging
to distance. within reach, however, to render
assistance II required. At the age Of four or
FIVE months the children follow their mother to
the border of the forest, where the father
brings them their supper. At six months old
they accompany their father and mother in all
nocturnal expeditions.
From eight to twelve months they learn to
attack sheep, goats, and even bulls but they
are so awkward that they usually wound ten
for one they kill it is not until they are two
years old that they can kill horse or bull al
one bite. While their education is thus in pro
gress, they are ten times more ruinous 10 the
Arabs. since the family does not content itsel
with killing the cattle required for its consump.
tiOn, but kills that the childrep may learn how
to kill. I'D a. ...
At three years old the children quit home
and set up for themselves, becoming fathers
and mothers in turn. Their places are occu
pied by another brood.
At eight years the old lion reaches maturity
and lives to thirty or forty When adult he il
beautiful creature, very different in size, as
pect, and disposition, from the lions to be seer
n menageries, and geological gardens ami
mails taken from the mothers breast bred like
rabbits, deprived Of the fresh mountain air snc
ample nourishment.
as an indication of the size attained by Ii
ons in state Of nature, We may cite the fac
mentioned by Gerard. that The strongest maj
in the cavalry regiment, to which he belonged
was unable to carry the skin aud heat
of the lion Gerard had killed. .-
It is quite clear, on comparing the works @
Gerard and Gordon Cumming, that the lion G
Northern Africa is a far more formidable enc
my than the lion Of Southern Africa. NJ
only does Cumming seem to have triumphe
without difficulty, but he had to combat lor
who ran away nom dogs, and generally avoit
ed coming to blows with him. This is quit
contrary to Gerard's experience The lion {
Northern Africa is but too ready to attack
hungry or not, the eight of an enemy rouse
his fury at once; and as TO cowardce, Gerard
narrative leaves no room for such suspicion
Indeed, the lion, so far from running ava
from the hunter, attacks whole tribe Of Arabs
and often scatters them to the winds. N
Arab thinks of attacking lion unless sup
ported by at least twenty muskets ; and eve
then, if the lion is killed, it is not until he ha
committed serious damage in their ranks. FC
a long time they suffer him to devastate thei
douars, aud carry off their cattle in helplet
resignation. 1t is not until their losses haV
driven them to desperation, that they resolv
on attacking him in his lain. and having decit
, ed 10 full conclave that the attack is to b
made, they assemble at the foot Of mOuI
tain and in groups Of thirty or forty march Il
, wards the lair, shouting at the top Of the
lungs. On hearing the noise. the lion, if younl
. at once quits his lair; the GOness does d
same unless she has her young ones with he
|, But Is he does notify, he is soon in sight, an
! a discharge Of musketry brings him down u
= on them like thunderbolt II the lion is
. dult be knows the meaning Of this noise whic
!. wakes hiG, and heriSes sloWly, yawning an
r stretching bis limbs, rubbing his sides sgain'
: the trees, and shaking back his majestic man
o He listens,9 sn1 the approaching cries eau
d hin to sharpen his claws. With certain pr
i mouisOry growIs. He then stalks slowly
!, wards the 6rst ledge of rocks which cOmman