jackal,* and the hyena.
It happens occasionally, however, that the in- truder pays dearly for his audacity. It is indeed asserted by more than one experienced hunter that, when the hyena proves troublesome, the lion has been known to bite off all its feet, ✝ and when thus mutilated, leave the poor animal to its fate. Though unable to vouch for the truth of the story, yet, as in some degree corroborative of it, I may mention that I myself, on one occasion, fell in with a hyena walking on his four stumps.
The flesh of the lion has a somewhat bad name with naturalists and others, who, though admitting that the natives of the countries inhabited by the beast occasionally partake of it, describe it as having a strong disagreeable smell and flavour. And M. Delegorgue, when speaking of a lion that he had recently killed, goes so far as to say "that the odour of it was so rank and disgusting that he had not the courage to taste it, but abandoned it to the vultures." Of course it is not for me to con- tradict great authorities, but, as stated in the "River
*It is difficult to account for the popular notion as to the jackal being the lion's provider. To my mind it would be far more correct to reverse the adage, and say that the lion caters for the jackal, as it is in great measure on the leavings of his royal friend that this pretty little animal subsists.
✝ The same refined kind of cruelty has been witnessed amongst a certain species of African ants.
p 2
THE LION.
Okovango," "I on one occasion dined off steak au lion, and found it very palateable and juicy, not unlike veal, and very white."
In Northern* as in Southern Africa, lion's flesh is eaten by the natives, though in the former rather I believe as a charm. In Algeria, according to Gerard, special value is set upon the heart of the animal, which is chopped into small pieces, and given to the children "to make them strong and courageous."! "A lock of hair plucked from the mane of the beast, and worn about the person, is an amulet which will, it is believed, render the wearer unconquerable in battle."
But, after all, why should not the flesh of the lion be both eatable and nutritious? Mr. Charles Darwin writes me that that of the puma, which he once partook of, is very palateable, whence he infers that the lion's may not be bad-tasted. Then again Mr. Lloyd, in his "Scandinavian Adventures," Vol. II. page 7, says: "The flesh of all the tiger tribe is, in England, considered the worst of carrion; but
*"These Arabs," says Bruce, when speaking of a certain tribe on the frontiers of Algiers and Tunis, "are immensely rich, paying no tribute either to Tunis or Algiers. The pretence for this ex- emption is a very singular one. By the institution of their founder they are obliged to live upon lions' flesh for their daily food, as far as they can procure it; with this they strictly comply, and in con- sideration of the utility of this their vow, they are not taxed, like other Arabs, with payments to the State. The consequence of this life is, that they are excellent and well-armed horsemen, exceedingly bold and undaunted hunters."
✝Hence possibly the old saw, "wine is composed of women's tongues and lions' hearts, for if a man partakes of a few glasses of the generous liquor he will talk forever, and if needs be, fight the devil himself."
THE SKIN A TROPHY.
this is a mistake, as regards the lynx at least, which greatly resembles veal in appearance, and to my personal knowledge, for I have often partaken of it, is very palateable. Grimalkin in the hands of Mr. Soyer would probably prove equally good."*
In Southern Africa, the skin of the lion, though of little intrinsic value, is, as a trophy, greatly prized by the hunters, and the like is the case, General Dumas tells us, in Algeria.
"Les Arabes," says he, "croient qu'il est bon de dormir sur un peau de lion; on éloigne ainsi les démons, on conjure le malheur, et on se préserve de certaines maladies.
"Les griffes du lion montées en argent deviennent des ornements pour les femmes, la peau de son front est un talisman que certains homines placent sur leurs tetes pour maintenir dans leurs cervelles l'audace et l'énergie."
The lion is a long-lived animal. Buffon and other naturalists, it is true, estimate its age at only
* May not the prejudice against lion's flesh have more or less originated with people who had only tasted that of beasts ancient as the hills, or of such as had met their death in a way greatly to deteriorate it!" That of a young bear, or even of one in-.its prime.js, as I can certify, very good eating, whether roasted, boiled, or smoked; whereas that of a very old gentleman, or of one shot under peculiar circumstances, will hardly tempt the appetite of the least fastidious; as a proof of this I, on one occasion, killed a large old male after so severe a run on "skedor" ii. deep snow, that on cut- ting up the beast twenty-four hours afterwards, all which time he had lain exposed in the forest during very severe weather, his interior fat was found to be in so liquid a state as to necessitate its removal with a coffee cup. and the flesh, as a consequence which was sub- sequently smoked), was so tainted as to render it utterly unfit for human food.—ED.
THE LION.
twenty or thirty years, and Gerard, on the authority of the Arabs, at from thirty to forty; but unless its days be cut short by accident, its existence is much more prolonged than the above authorities imagine. Even when in confinement, it has attained to a most venerable age. The famous lion, Pompey, which died in the Tower of London in 1760, was known to have been there above seventy years; and one brought from the river Gambia, and which also died in that fortress not many years ago, had attained to the venerable age of sixty-three.
It is asserted that when a lion finds himself dis- abled, and Tillable to attack his pursuers, he will not unfrequently turn his ire upon himself and mutilate his own body.
Delegorgue's remarks on this subject are both curious and interesting; he says:—
"Certain animals, when they have been mortally wounded, evince a weakness resulting either from their inadequate means of defence, or from the mild- ness of their disposition. Some utter plaintive cries, the like of which are never heard except at this critical moment. Others shed tears. The elam (Boselaphus Oreas), especially, patiently awaits the chasseur, whom it seems to implore instead of opposing to him its formidable horns. Others again simply resign themselves to their fate without showing any signs either of courage or of weakness.
The lion differs from all these. . . . If the vital parts of its body be pierced, so that it is unable to leave the spot, and its enemies keep at a dis- tance, it abandons itself to despair, and its teeth and
SELF-MUTILATION.
claws are turned against its own person; it crushes its paws, and it breaks its talons, as if it wished to be the author of its own annihilation. It is a verit- able suicide, but which the weapons provided by Nature do not permit it to consummate."
The fact that the lion, when, disabled by wounds, it is prevented from either attacking or fleeing from its enemies, mutilates itself in the manner de- scribed above, is not, I believe, uncommon. Sir Samuel Baker, indeed, records an instance to this effect that came under his own eye; for when de- scribing (as will hereafter be seen) the dying moments of a lioness, he says:—"Occasionally in her rage she bit her own paws violently, and then struck and clawed the ground."*
* Something of the kind described by Delegorgue and Sir Samuel Baker occurs, I take it, with other beasts besides the lion in their death-struggles. Once indeed, I myself saw a large and badly wounded bear rear itself up on its hind legs
