4d NATURAL HISTORY IN ANECDOTE,

lain almost across the youth, so nearly and dearly related
to them, without having done him any particular hurt. I
myself saw, near the upper part of Duyvenhoek River, an
elderly Hottentot who, at that time (his wounds being still
open), bore under one eye, and underneath his cheek bone
the ghastly marks of the bite of a lion, which did not think
it worth his while to give him any other chastisement for
having, together with his master (whom I also knew), and
several other Christians, hunted him with great intrepidity,
though without success. The conversation ran everywhere
in this part of the country upon one Bota, a farmer and
captain in the militia, who had lain for sometime under a
lion, and had received several bruises from the beast, having
been at the same time a good deal bitten by him in one
arm, as a token to remember him by; but, upon the whole,
had, in a manner, had his life given him by this noble animal.
The man was said then to be living in the district of Artaquas-
kloof.”
Discretion the He following seems to show a curious power
better part of of reasoning on the part of the lion. “Diederik
Valour. Muller, one of the most intrepid and successful
of modern lion-hunters in South Africa, had,” says Sir
William Jardine, “been out alone hunting in the wilds, when
he came suddently upon a lion, which, instead of giving way,
seemed disposed, from the angry attitude he assumed, to
dispute with him the dominion of the desert. Diederik
instantly alighted, and confident of his unerring aim levelled
his gun at the forehead of the lion, who was couched in the
act to spring, within fifteen paces of him; but at the moment
the hunter. fired, his horse, whose bridle was round his
arm, started back and caused him to miss. The lion, bounded
forward, but stopped within a few paces, confronting Diederik
who stood defenceless, his gun discharged, and his horse
running off. The man and the beast stood looking at each
ether in the face for a short space. At length the lion