, caravans being attacked by lions?"

"A very common thing," the trader replied; "indeed in certain parts of
the country such attacks are constantly made, and the persistency with
which the lions, in spite of the severe lessons they have received of
the deadly effect of fire-arms, yet continue to attack caravans is a
proof that they must often be greatly oppressed by hunger."

"Which do they seem to prefer," one of the officers asked, "human beings
or cattle?"

"They kill fifty oxen to one human being; but this probably arises from
the fact that in the lion-country the drivers always sleep round large
fires in the centre of the cattle. I think that by preference the lions
attack the horses, because these are more defenceless; the cattle
sometimes make a good fight. I have seen them when loose forming a
circle with their heads outside, showing such a formidable line of horns
that the lions have not ventured to attack them. Once or twice I have
seen single oxen when attacked by solitary lions, come out victors in
the assault. As the lion walked round and round, the bullock continued
to face him, and I have then often seen them receive the spring upon
their horns, and hurl the lion wounded and half-stunned yards away.
Once I saw both die together--the bullock with one of his horns driven
into the lion's chest, while the latter fixed his teeth in the bullock's
neck, and tore away with his claws at its side, until both fell dead
together."

"It must be a grand country for sport," one of the officers said.

"It is that!" the trader replied. "I wonder sometimes that gentlemen in
England, who spend great sums every year in deer-forests and
grouse-moors, do not more often come out for a few months' shooting
here. The voyage is a pleasant one, and although the journey up country
to the interior of course takes some time, the trip would be a novel
one, and every comfort could be carried in the waggons; while the sport,
when the right country was reached, would be more abundant and varied
than in any other part of the world. Lions may be met, deer of numerous
kinds, giraffes, hippopotami, crocodiles, and many other animals, not to
mention an occasional gallop after ostriches. The expenses, moreover,
would not be greater than the rental and keep of a deer-forest."

"Yes, I am surprised myself that more sportsmen do not come out here.
In odd times, too, they could get good fishing."

"Excellent," the trader replied; "s