The record-union., 1899-06-03
SOUTH AFRICAN LIONS.
Those of Mashonaland Are the
Boldest of All.

South African hons are, beyond ques-
ton, the boldeSt of all predatory AMI
mails, and those of Mashonaland are
perhaps the boldest of all. During the
night, their natural hunting time, they
attack draught animals, or even men,
within a few yards of the camp-hres,
and are a constant and serious danger
to travellers in districts remote from
the main tracks of traders. From the
Zambesi, through AIashonaland, and
north to the Limpopo, chorus OIL
complaints rises in the pages OF recent
travellers whose cattle or followers
have suffered from their attacks. MI
Selous has recorded the pursuit OF the
post from Salisbury by lion, and the
loss of the mail bags, which the amman
tore from the back of the pack-horse.
Mr.. Millais, who crossed the Nuanetsl
River with a team of eight donkeys 10
draw his wagon-the oxen being LETT
behind on account of the proximity
of the "hy'' country-loSt three in one
night by a lion attack carried out with
the utmost contempt for human be-
ings. whether white or black. He was
awakened by the lions roar, and al
most Immediately saw one OF the
tethered donkeys knocked over IL was
not five yards from the five, but IN the
darkness and dazzle of the ire ne
could not see the attacker. we knew
instinctively that a lion had killed.
the donkey, and was standing over MN
not Eve yards from the fire, but IN the
but it was hopeless to fire unless we
saw something, or at least could make
certain of his whereabouts. Ths ooo
scene continued for some moments, the
actors being four or five black men,
two white men, pony, seven Hso
donkeys. and dead one, and the non
standing over the latter, with nfe
partly lighting up the figures, until
couple more donkeys broke loose. They
rushed into a mealie field, and there
the party heard the lion chasing hrst
one donkey and then another, as ex-
cited and as little afraid as a dog
chasing rabbits in a field of barley.
cat every bound the lion emitted a
subdued .boo-uff' as his fore legs
Struck the ground, but the two did
not go far There was presently a loud
scuffie, crack, and the sound OF
heavy body falling; then all was still.
The lion chased the third donkey
round the camp. killed and ate 1t, ana
was next day shot by an ingenious
trap made by tying rifle to posts'
and fastening a string to the trigger,
which the lion struck when revlsltng
it's kill" The unsportsnanlike meth
cd of comprising it's death is excused
by Captain Millais on the ground OF
necessity This lion was ten feet long
from the tip Of the nose to the tip OF
the tail, was in perfect health and inn
mensely formidable But besides the
wagon and kraal business" which -oc-
cupied it at the time of it's last attack,
it had taken to killing women when
game and native goats were scarce.
and travelling teams had not yet come
up country. Six women had been killed;
by it from one village.
These South African lions have not
the fine name which they show in cap
tivity and in pictures drawn by Eng.
fish artists to illustrate. books on Afri1
can sport DR. Livingstone noted the.
odd resemblance Of the lions roar to-
that of the ostrich Mr.. Millais says
that though the roar of the latter is
not SO loud, it has exactly the same tone
as that of the lion. But the ostrich
always roars his best, the lion very sell
dom. This is partly because good