The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1858-01-15
Chr ON Curnrr.
THEaREAT AFRICAN LION.

DIR. Livingston, the celebrated African
traveller in his recently Published work,
the result OF the experience ofa life OF siS-
teen years among the Africans, utterly de-
molishes many exaggerations which have
been SGT forth by more superficial travellers
in those regions. Concerning lions and IT,
on-hunting, that have recently became so
fascinating in the books of Gerard aud Cum
ming, tho DIR. says: ......-.-..
When lion Is met in the daytime, cir
cumsunce by no means u"ireqarnt u tray-
ellers in those PARTS, il preconceiNed notions
do not lead them 10 expect something very
onoble'' or ..rnujcstic," they will zee mere
ly an animal somewhat larger than the big
rcst 40: they ever slw, and partaking very
strongly Of the canine features the lace Is
not much like the usual drawings Of u lion.
the nose being prolonged like deg not
extct,y rs our painters make it-thOuSh they
might learn better at the Geological, Gar
dens-their ideas of majesty being usually
shown 10y making their lions faces Ike old
women in nightcapS. When encountered
in the daytime, the lion stands a second or
two. gazing, then turns slowly round. and
walks as slowly away for a DOZEN PAGES,
looking over his shoulder then begins tn
trot. and when he thinks himself out ut sight
boun IS " like greyhound. by day there
i, NOT. as "A rule, the smallest danger vi Ii
ops which are not molested attacking man,
nor even ON a clear moonlight night, except
when they possess the breeding OtO5YH mat
u.,,l affection y ,his makes them brave al
most any danger and II u man happens to
croSs ~ the windward OF them, both lion and
houess will ruth at him, In tho manner OF u
bitch with whelIs This does not often
happcn, .as | only became aware vi two or
tbT.e instances OF IT. In one case "a man,
,D,,S;p,. where the wind blew from him 10
Tho animals, was bitten bsiOre nc could
clrDb a tree and occasionally man on
horseback has been caught by the leg under
the SINE circumstances. ~ general hoNey-
rr. \, the scnce OF security un moonlight
nights, that We seldom tied up our oxen, but
lei them lie lOosc Wy the wagon whale On
a dark. rainy night, liza lion u In tbs neigh,
blr oOi, he j. almost suTe 10 venture 10 XIII
On OK. lis approach railways s'oaliay, ex'
c.pt when wounded, and any appearance
Ola trap il enough To cause HIM 70 refrain
from making the last spring. This seems
Characteristic ul the feline species; when q
coat i picke,ed IN lndm for the purpose oil
Enabling the huutsmen 10 shoot ,iScr by
nicht. n on n main BE- would whip oil he
animal so quickly by stroke oI the paw
that no one could take aim to obYlatc thls
n small hit i duS, and the goat i plcketed
ton stake in the bottom !; ~ small STONE u
tied IN the ear of the goat, which makes
him cry the whole night. When the tiger
sees the app'anncc OF trap, no walks
round and round the pit, and allows the
hunter, who is ly,ug IN wait, TO have Ian
shot. -. -.
when lion is very hungry, and lying in
wait, the sight Of an animal may make him
commence Salsipgit. IN one case q man
while stealihhy crawling toward a ri lnoce
ros. h,ppensl 10 glance behind hun, and
found e. his horrOr lion aailiag hin; h'
only escaped by springing upa tree like =
cat. Vt lSopepe hone.s sPmns ON Tue AZ
we cam uP TO him We found the marks o.
the claws on the horse, and a scratch 90
Mr.. q : hansl-Thc hor'e, On feeling the Ii
ON ON him, spfang away, and tie rider
caught by await-a-bit-thorn. Was brought
TO the ground and rendered incenslb'e'-
HIS dogs saved him. Another English gen
tlen,an Captain Codrington) was surprise,
IN the same way though not hunting The IA
on stthe time, but turning round 10 sho
him dead In the neck by accident hors'
belonging 10 Codrington, ran aw y, but WA
stopped hy the bride catching stump
there he remained prisoner two days, an'
when found the whole space around wa
marked BY the footprints of lions Ihel
had evidently been afraid To attack the hal
tcr,l bOrs, irom fear that 1t wasa trap
Two lions came up by night To within thre'
yards oi oxen tied To q wagon, and sheet
tied To "A tree, and stood roaring, but airalt
TO make a spring. On another occasion one
OF our party was lying sound asleep ana un
conscious OF danger between two natives DO
q 0ush a, Nlashue the fire was nearly out
ut their feet i'm consequence fall being com
pletely tired out by the iatigues oil the pre-
yiUus day lion came up 60 within thres
yards Of the FIRE, and there commenced
roaring iusie,. OF making spring tho TACT
OF their ridlng.Ox tied 20 the bush
was the only reason tho lion had for not
following his instinct, and maklnga meal
OIL Hush. TIC tucu ctpod WI - s"'" wv
yards distant, and roared all night, and
continued his growling- rs the party moved
of by daylight mkt morning.
Nothing that lever learned OF the lion
would lead mo TO attribute To u either the
fervcious or noble character aseribrd to u
elsewhere 40 posses none OF the nobility
Of the Newfoundland or ST. Bernard dogs
With respect 20 its great strength there can
be no doubt. The immense masses Ell mus
Gle around It's jaws, shoulder and ioruirm'
proclaim tremendous force. THY woulo
seem, however, To b. inferior in power ,o
Oh. - Of the Indian tiger. Most Of th0~
feats oi strength that have seen performed
by lions, saeh as tho taking away of an OK,
were not carrying, but dragging OF trailing
the carcass along the srvund they bau
sprung on some occasions on 20 the hind
auarteIs OF horse. but no one has ever secn
them ON thu withers of n giraffe. They do
rot noun, on the headquarters Of an Gland,
but try to tear him down with their claws,
Nies.rs Oswell and Vardon once saw thru
lions endeavoring tn drag down n buffalo,
and they were unable % do 10 iora time,
though he was then mortslIy wounded by n
two-ounce ball. llou ra'.I. an
In general che lion seires the animal he q