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。