gle noble quality of all those that have from earliest
times been ascribed to him! Others, on the contrary, assert that he
knows no fear, either of man or beast; and these endow him with many
virtues besides courage. Both parties back up their views, not by mere
assertions, but by an ample narration of well-attested facts!

How is this? There is a dilemma here. Both cannot be right in their
opinions? And yet, odd as it may appear to say so, both _are_ right in
a certain sense.

The fact is, _some lions are cowardly, while others are brave_.

The truth of this might be shown by whole pages of facts, but in this
little volume we have not room. I think, however, boy reader, I can
satisfy you with an analogy.

Answer me--Do you know any species of animal, the individuals of which
are exactly alike in character? Think over the dogs _of your
acquaintance_! Are they alike, or anything near it? Are not some of
them noble, generous, faithful, brave to the death? Are not others
mean, sneaking, cowardly curs? So is it with lions.

Now, you are satisfied that my statement about the lions may be true.

There are many causes to affect the courage and ferocity of the lion.
His age--the state of his stomach--the season of the year--the hour of
the day--but, above all, the _sort of hunters that belong to the
district he inhabits_.

This last fact appears quite natural to those who believe in the
_intellect_ of animals, which of course _I_ do. It is perfectly natural
that the lion, as well as other animals, should soon learn the character
of his enemy, and fear him or not, as the case may be. Is this not an
old story with us? If I remember aright, we had a talk upon this
subject when speaking of the crocodiles of America. We remarked that
the alligator of the Mississippi rarely attacks man in modern times; but
it has not been always so. The rifle of the alligator-leather hunter
has tamed its ferocity. The very _same species_ in South America eats
Indians by scores every year; and the crocodile of Africa is dreaded in
some parts even more than the lion!

It is asserted that the lions of the Cape are more cowardly in some
districts than in others. They are less brave in those districts where
they have been "jaged" by the courageous and stalwart boor with his long
loud-cracking "roer."

Beyond the frontier, where they have no enemy but the tiny arrow of the
Bushman (who does not desire to kill them!) and the slen