The LIONESS.
The want of that majeſtic and graceful ornament the mane, is the principal difference between the male and female Lion; thus unadorned, the female Lion appears ſcarcely to belong to the ſame ſpecies with the male; this diſſimilarity of figure influenced us to preſent a drawing of the Lioneſs; the variations will be beſt underſtood by comparing their two figures.
The female Lion is, in general, ſmaller than the male; but, having the ſame habits, and being actuated by like propenſities, we ſhall take this opportunity of enlarging the deſcription already given of this noble animal. Our choice of information will, we hope, be approved when we aſſert, it was collected in the midſt of their haunts, ſurrounded by their preſence, and being corroborated by many witneſſes, appears to have manifeſt advantage over the generality of reports, which uſually have paſſed through ſeveral relators. To the diligent reſearches of Mr. Sparman we, therefore, acknowledge our obligations for the following particulars.
The natural inſtinctive dread, and ſtrong perception in animals in general, of a Lion near at hand, is thus related: We could plainly perceive by our animals (viz. horſes and oxen) when the Lions, whether they roared or not, were reconnoitring us at a ſmall diſtance; the hounds then did not dare to bark in the leaſt, but crept quite cloſe to the Hottentots, and our horſes and oxen ſighed deeply, frequently hanging back, and pulling ſlowly, with all their might, at the ſtraps with which they were tied up to the waggon; they alſo laid themſelves down and ſtood up alternately, appearing as if they did not know what to do with themſelves; and, indeed, I may ſay, juſt as if they were in the agonies of death. One of our oxen, on this and every ſimilar occaſion, appeared particularly diſquieted and reſtleſs, and beſides, made a remarkable noiſe inwardly; the ſame was the caſe with the ſtallion in his particular way. At night, between 10 and 11 o’clock, we heard the roaring of a Lion, and, though it roared only twice, the animals were reſtleſs the whole night through. The bounty of Providence claims our admiration in this inſtance, which having ſent ſuch a tyrant as the Lion among the brute creation, has likewiſe taught them to diſcern and diſtinguiſh it at a diſtance with trembling and horror.
The following trait is curious, and, we believe, new: That the prey of the Lion, if of the brute creation, is immediately diſpatched, but if of the human ſpecies, although provoked, he contents himſelf with merely wounding, or, at leaſt, waits ſome time before he gives the fatal blow. A farmer, who had the misfortune to ſee a Lion ſeize two of his oxen which he had juſt taken out of his waggon, told me, they inſtantly fell dead, though, upon examining, it appeared, their backs only had been broken: on the other hand, the converſation ran every where in this part of the country upon one Bota, a farmer and captain of militia, who had lain ſome time under a Lion, and received ſeveral bruiſes from the beaſt, and was a good deal bitten in one arm; but, upon the whole, had, in a manner, his life given him by this noble animal.
The ſtrength of the Lion is unqueſtionably very great, yet, to ſtrength he is ſometimes obliged to add cunning;—to attack the Buffalo, he ſteals upon his retreat, and, by ſurpriſe, ſeizes the animal by the noſtril with both paws, which he continues to preſs cloſe together, till at length, the creature is wearied, ſtrangled, and dies. In running they (two which we chaſed) had a kind of a ſidling pace, like that of a dog, accompanied now and then with a ſlight bound, their necks ſomewhat raiſed, they looked aſkant at us: they appeared to be conſiderably higher and longer than our horſes, which were of the ſize of common galloways.
