Theimmensemassesofmusclearounditsjaws，shoulders，andforearmsproclaimtremendousforceTheywouldseem，however，tobeinferiorinpowertothoseoftheIndiantigerMostofthosefeatsofstrengththatIhaveseenperformedbylions，suchasthetakingawayofanox，werenotcarrying，butdraggingortrailingthecarcassalongtheground：
　　theyhavesprungonsomeoccasionsontothehind-quartersofahorse，butnoonehaseverseenthemonthewithersofagiraffe。
　　Theydonotmountonthehind-quartersofanelandeven，buttrytotearhimdownwiththeirclawsMessrsOswellandVardononcesawthreelionsendeavoringtodragdownabuffalo，andtheywereunabletodosoforatime，thoughhewasthenmortallywoundedbyatwo-ounceball。*
　　*Thissingularencounter，inthewordsofaneye-witness，happenedasfollows：
　　“MySouthAfricanJournalisnowbeforeme，andIhavegotholdoftheaccountofthelionandbuffaloaffair；hereitis：
　　`15thSeptember，1846OswellandIwereridingthisafternoonalongthebanksoftheLimpopo，whenawaterbuckstartedinfrontofus。
　　Idismounted，andwasfollowingitthroughthejungle，whenthreebuffaloesgotup，and，aftergoingalittledistance，stoodstill，andthenearestbullturnedroundandlookedatme。
　　Aballfromthetwo-ouncercrashedintohisshoulder，andtheyallthreemadeoffOswellandIfollowedassoonasIhadreloaded，andwhenwewereinsightofthebuffalo，andgainingonhimateverystride，threelionsleapedontheunfortunatebrute；
　　hebellowedmostlustilyashekeptupakindofrunningfight，buthewas，ofcourse，soonoverpoweredandpulleddown。
　　Wehadafineviewofthestruggle，andsawthelionsontheirhindlegstearingawaywithteethandclawsinmostferociousstyleWecreptupwithinthirtyyards，and，kneelingdown，blazedawayatthelions。
　　Myriflewasasinglebarrel，andIhadnosparegun。
　　OnelionfelldeadalmostONthebuffalo；hehadmerelytimetoturntowardus，seizeabushwithhisteeth，anddropdeadwiththestickinhisjawsThesecondmadeoffimmediately；
　　andthethirdraisedhishead，coollylookedroundforamoment，thenwentontearingandbitingatthecarcassashardasever。
　　Weretiredashortdistancetoload，thenagainadvancedandfired。
　　Thelionmadeoff，butaballthathereceivedOUGHTtohavestoppedhim，asitwentcleanthroughhisshoulder-bladeHewasfollowedupandkilled，afterhavingchargedseveraltimesBothlionsweremales。
　　ItisnotoftenthatoneBAGSabraceoflionsandabullbuffaloinabouttenminutesItwasanexcitingadventure，andIshallneverforgetit。’
　　“Such，mydearLivingstone，istheplainunvarnishedaccount。
　　Thebuffalohad，ofcourse，goneclosetowherethelionswerelyingdownfortheday；andthey，seeinghimlameandbleeding，thoughttheopportunitytoogoodaonetobelost。
　　Everyours，FrankVardon。”
　　Ingeneralthelionseizestheanimalheisattackingbytheflanknearthehindleg，orbythethroatbelowthejawItisquestionablewhetherheeverattemptstoseizeananimalbythewithers。
　　Theflankisthemostcommonpointofattack，andthatistheparthebeginstofeastonfirstThenativesandlionsareverysimilarintheirtastesintheselectionoftit-bits：anelandmaybeseendisemboweledbyalionsocompletelythathescarcelyseemscutupatall。
　　Thebowelsandfattypartsformafullmealforeventhelargestlion。
　　Thejackalcomessniffingabout，andsometimessuffersforhistemeritybyastrokefromthelion’spawlayinghimdeadWhengorged，thelionfallsfastasleep，andistheneasilydispatched。
　　HuntingalionwithdogsinvolvesverylittledangerascomparedwithhuntingtheIndiantiger，becausethedogsbringhimoutofcoverandmakehimstandatbay，givingthehunterplentyoftimeforagooddeliberateshot。
　　Wheregameisabundant，thereyoumayexpectlionsinproportionatelylargenumbersTheyareneverseeninherds，butsixoreight，probablyonefamily，occasionallyhunttogetherOneisinmuchmoredangerofbeingrunoverwhenwalkinginthestreetsofLondon，thanheisofbeingdevouredbylionsinAfrica，unlessengagedinhuntingtheanimalIndeed，nothingthatIhaveseenorheardaboutlionswouldconstituteabarrierinthewayofmenofordinarycourageandenterprise。
　　Thesamefeelingwhichhasinducedthemodernpaintertocaricaturethelion，hasledthesentimentalisttoconsiderthelion’sroarthemostterrificofallearthlysoundsWehearofthe“majesticroarofthekingofbeasts。”
　　Itis，indeed，wellcalculatedtoinspirefearifyouhearitincombinationwiththetremendouslyloudthunderofthatcountry，onanightsopitchydarkthateveryflashoftheintenselyvividlightningleavesyouwiththeimpressionofstone-blindness，whiletherainpoursdownsofastthatyourfiregoesout，leavingyouwithouttheprotectionofevenatree，orthechanceofyourgungoingoff。
　　Butwhenyouareinacomfortablehouseorwagon，thecaseisverydifferent，andyouheartheroarofthelionwithoutanyaweoralarm。
　　Thesillyostrichmakesanoiseasloud，yetheneverwasfearedbyman。
　　Totalkofthemajesticroarofthelionismeremajestictwaddle。
　　Onmymentioningthisfactsomeyearsago，theassertionwasdoubted，soIhavebeencarefuleversincetoinquiretheopinionsofEuropeans，whohaveheardboth，iftheycoulddetectanydifferencebetweentheroarofalionandthatofanostrich；theinvariableanswerwas，thattheycouldnotwhentheanimalwasatanydistance。
　　ThenativesassertthattheycandetectavariationbetweenthecommencementofthenoiseofeachThereis，itmustbeadmitted，considerabledifferencebetweenthesingingnoiseofalionwhenfull，andhisdeep，gruffgrowlwhenhungryIngeneralthelion’svoiceseemstocomedeeperfromthechestthanthatoftheostrich，buttothisdayIcandistinguishbetweenthemwithcertaintyonlybyknowingthattheostrichroarsbydayandthelionbynight。
　　TheAfricanlionisofatawnycolor，likethatofsomemastiffs。
　　Themaneinthemaleislarge，andgivestheideaofgreatpower。
　　Insomelionstheendsofthehairofthemaneareblack；
　　thesegobythenameofblack-manedlions，thoughasawholealllookoftheyellowtawnycolorAtthetimeofthediscoveryofthelake，MessrsOswellandWilsonshottwospecimensofanothervariety。
　　Onewasanoldlion，whoseteethweremerestumps，andhisclawswornquiteblunt；theotherwasfullgrown，intheprimeoflife，withwhite，perfectteeth；bothwereentirelydestituteofmane。
　　ThelionsinthecountrynearthelakegivetonguelessthanthosefurthersouthWescarcelyeverheardthemroaratall。
　　Thelionhasotherchecksoninordinateincreasebesidesman。
　　Heseldomattacksfull-grownanimals；butfrequently，whenabuffalocalfiscaughtbyhim，thecowrushestotherescue，andatossfromheroftenkillshimOnewefoundwaskilledthus；andontheLeeambyeanother，whichdiednearSesheke，hadalltheappearanceofhavingreceivedhisdeath-blowfromabuffaloItisquestionableifasinglelioneverattacksafull-grownbuffaloTheamountofroaringheardatnight，onoccasionswhenabuffaloiskilled，seemstoindicatetherearealwaysmorethanonelionengagedintheonslaught。
　　Ontheplain，southofSebituane’sford，aherdofbuffaloeskeptanumberoflionsfromtheiryoungbythemalesturningtheirheadstotheenemyTheyoungandthecowswereintherearOnetossfromabullwouldkillthestrongestlionthateverbreathedIhavebeeninformedthatinonepartofIndiaeventhetamebuffaloesfeeltheirsuperioritytosomewildanimals，fortheyhavebeenseentochaseatigerupthehills，bellowingasiftheyenjoyedthesportLionsnevergonearanyelephantsexceptthecalves，which，whenyoung，aresometimestornbythem；
　　everylivingthingretiresbeforethelordlyelephant，yetafull-grownonewouldbeaneasierpreythantherhinoceros；thelionrushesoffatthemeresightofthislatterbeast。
　　InthecountryadjacenttoMashuegreatnumbersofdifferentkindsofmiceexistThegroundisoftensounderminedwiththeirburrowsthatthefootsinksinateverystepLittlehaycocks，abouttwofeethigh，andrathermorethanthatinbreadth，aremadebyonevarietyoftheselittlecreaturesThesamethingisdoneinregionsannuallycoveredwithsnowforobviouspurposes，butitisdifficultheretodivinethereasonofthehaymakingintheclimateofAfrica。*
　　*`Euryotisunisulcatus’FCuvier，`Muspumelio’Spar。，and`Muslehocla’Smith，allpossessthishabitinagreaterorlessdegreeThefirst-namedmaybeseenescapingdangerwithitsyounghangingtotheafter-partofitsbody。
　　Wherevermiceabound，serpentsmaybeexpected，fortheonepreysontheotherAcatinahouseisthereforeagoodpreventiveagainsttheentranceofthesenoxiousreptilesOccasionally，however，notwithstandingeveryprecaution，theydofindtheirwayin，buteventhemostvenomoussortsbiteonlywhenputinbodilyfearthemselves，orwhentroddenupon，orwhenthesexescometogetherIoncefoundacoilofserpents’skins，madebyanumberofthemtwistingtogetherinthemannerdescribedbytheDruidsofoldWheninthecountry，onefeelsnothingofthatalarmandloathingwhichwemayexperiencewhensittinginacomfortableEnglishroomreadingaboutthem；
　　yettheyarenastythings，andweseemtohaveaninstinctivefeelingagainstthemInmakingthedoorforourMabotsahouse，IhappenedtoleaveasmallholeatthecornerbelowEarlyonemorningamancametocallforsomearticleIhadpromisedIatoncewenttothedoor，and，itbeingdark，trodonaserpentThemomentIfeltthecoldscalyskintwineroundapartofmyleg，mylatentinstinctwasroused，andIjumpeduphigherthanIeverdidbeforeorhopetodoagain，shakingthereptileoffintheleapIprobablytrodonitnearthehead，andsopreventeditbitingme，butdidnotstoptoexamine。
　　SomeoftheserpentsareparticularlyvenomousOnewaskilledatKolobengofadarkbrown，nearlyblackcolor，8feet3incheslong。
　　Thisspeciespicakholuissocopiouslysuppliedwithpoisonthat，whenanumberofdogsattackit，thefirstbittendiesalmostinstantaneously，thesecondinaboutfiveminutes，thethirdinanhourorso，whilethefourthmayliveseveralhoursInacattle-penitproducesgreatmischiefinthesamewayTheonewekilledatKolobengcontinuedtodistillclearpoisonfromthefangsforhoursafteritsheadwascutoffThiswasprobablythatwhichpassesbythenameofthe“spittingserpent“，whichisbelievedtobeabletoejectitspoisonintotheeyeswhenthewindfavorsitsforcibleexpirationTheyallrequirewater，andcomelongdistancestotheZouga，andotherriversandpools，insearchofit。
　　Wehaveanotherdangerousserpent，thepuffadder，andseveralvipers。
　　One，namedbytheinhabitants“Noga-put-sane“，orserpentofakid，uttersacrybynightexactlylikethebleatingofthatanimal。
　　Iheardoneataspotwherenokidcouldpossiblyhavebeen。
　　Itissupposedbythenativestoluretravelerstoitselfbythisbleating。
　　Severalvarieties，whenalarmed，emitapeculiarodor，bywhichthepeoplebecomeawareoftheirpresenceinahouse。
　　Wehavealsothecobra`Naiahaje’，Smithofseveralcolorsorvarieties。
　　Whenannoyed，theyraisetheirheadsupaboutafootfromtheground，andflattentheneckinathreateningmanner，dartingoutthetongueandretractingitwithgreatvelocity，whiletheirfixedglassyeyesglareasifinangerTherearealsovariousspeciesofthegenus`Dendrophis’，asthe`Bucephalusviridis’，orgreentree-climberTheyclimbtreesinsearchofbirdsandeggs，andaresoondiscoveredbyallthebirdsintheneighborhoodcollectingandsoundinganalarm。*
　　Theirfangsareformednotsomuchforinjectingpoisononexternalobjectsasforkeepinginanyanimalorbirdofwhichtheyhavegothold。
　　Inthecaseofthe`Dasypeltisinornatus’Smith，theteetharesmall，andfavorableforthepassageofthin-shelledeggswithoutbreaking。
　　Theeggistakeninunbrokentillitiswithinthegullet，orabouttwoinchesbehindtheheadThegularteethplacedtherebreaktheshellwithoutspillingthecontents，aswouldbethecaseifthefrontteethwerelargeTheshellisthenejected。