Chapter 13

"Hendrick and Ruyter lay on one side of the fire under one blanket, and John Stefolus on the other; the fire was very small, and the night was pitch dark and windy. Suddenly the appalling and murderous voice of an angry, blood-thirsty lion burst upon my ear, within a few yards of us, followed by the shrieking of the Hottentots. Again and again the terrific roar of attack was repeated. We heard John and Ruyter shriek, 'The lion! the lion!' Still, for a few minutes, all thought he was only chasing one of the dogs round the kraal; but the next instant John Stefolus rushed into the midst of us almost speechless with fear, his eyes bursting from their sockets, and shrieked out, 'The lion! the lion! he has got Hendrick; he dragged him away from the fire; I struck him with the burning brand upon his head, but he would not let go his hold. Hendrick is dead! Let us take fire and look for him!' The rest of my people rushed about, shrieking and yelling as if they were mad. I was angry with them for their folly, and told them if they did not stand still and keep quiet, the lion would have another of us; most likely there was a troop of them. The dogs were let loose, and the fire increased. Hendrick's name was shouted; but all was then still. I told the men he was dead, and had everything brought within the cattle-fold, lighted a fire, and closed the entrance as well as we could. We sat with our guns in our hands till daylight, expecting a lion every moment; the dogs fought one another, then got scent of the lion, and barked at him till day broke, he now and then driving them back; and he lay all the night within forty yards of the party, having dragged the man into a little hollow at the back of the bush. He had grappled him with his claws, and bitten him in the breast and shoulder, all the while feeling for his neck, and when he got hold of that dragged him into the shade. The poor man cried, 'Help me, help me, oh God! Men, help me!' then all was still, except that his comrades heard the cracking of his bones. The beast did not heed the beating about the head with the burning wood. The lion dragged the remains of him away the next morning, but in the hollow was found one of poor Hendrick's legs, the shoe still on the foot, with fragments of his coat. The next day came the lion's turn; for the party, by killing him, avenged the death of poor Hendrick."

It has often been said that the human voice has great power over the fiercest animals; and I do not think a stronger proof of it can be met with, than in this adventure of Mr. Gordon Cumming's:--"I fired at the nearest lioness, having only one shot in my rifle. The ball told badly; the lioness at which I had fired wheeled right round, and came on, lashing her tail, showing her teeth, and making that horrid, murderous, deep growl, which an angry lion generally utters. Her comrade hastily retreated. The instant the lioness came on, I stood up to my full height, holding my rifle, and my arms extended high above my head. This checked her in her course, but on looking round, and missing her comrade, and observing Ruyter slowly advancing, she was still more exasperated, and fancying that she was near being surrounded, she made another forward movement, growling terribly. This was a moment of great danger, I felt that my only chance of safety was extreme steadiness, so, standing motionless as a rock, with my eyes firmly fixed upon her, I called in a clear, commanding voice, 'Holloa, old girl! What's the hurry? take it easy! Holloa! holloa!' She once more halted and seemed perplexed, looking round for her comrade. I then thought it prudent to beat a retreat, which I very slowly did, talking to the lioness all the time. She seemed undecided as to her future movements, and was gazing after me, and snuffing the ground, when I last beheld her."

I copy the ensuing anecdote from Mr. Campbell's second journey to Africa. "A lion had been near to a bushman's hut the whole night, waiting, it was supposed for the arrival of his companions, to assist in attacking the family; and if they had made the attack in conjunction with each other, it is probable they would have met with success. Two Bootchuana herdsmen, attending near the place next morning, saw him and ran to inform the people. On their way they met six Griquas coming to attack the formidable creature, having already heard he was there. Advancing towards him, they fired, and wounded, but did not disable him. Enraged by pain, he advanced to take revenge on his assailants. On seeing him approach, the Griquas leaped from their horses, formed them into a close line with their tails towards the lion, and took their stand at the horse's heads. The enraged animal flew upon a Bootchuana who was not protected by the horses, and who tried to defend himself with his kaross, or skin cloak. The lion, however, caught him by the arm, threw him on the ground; and while the poor man still tried to defend himself, by keeping the kaross round him, the lion got under it, and gnawed part of his thigh. His Bootchuana companion at that time threw his assagai, which entered the lion's back. The Griquas would have fired, but were afraid of shooting the man; in order then to drive him away, they made a great noise, and threw some stones. The lion then left the man, and rushed on them, when they again checked his attack by turning the horses round. He next crept under the belly of a mare, and seized her by the fore legs, but with a powerful kick she made him let go his hold. In revenge, and by one stroke of his paw, he tore open the body of the mare, and retired. After this, he tried to get round the horses to the men, but when on the point of making a spring, he was happily killed by a musket ball, the ball penetrating behind the ear."

It is singular, says Mr. Sparrman in his African travels, that the lion is reported frequently, although provoked, to content himself with sometimes only wounding the human species, or at least to wait some time before he gives the fatal blow to the unhappy victim he has got under him. A farmer had the misfortune to see a lion seize two of his oxen, at the very instant he had taken them out of the wagon, but they fell down dead, having had their backs broken. A father and two sons were in search of a lion, when he rushed upon them, threw one of them under his feet, but he received no great hurt, for the two others shot him dead upon the spot. Another farmer had lain some time under a lion, received several bruises from the beast, and was a good deal bitten by him in one arm, but the noble animal, as it were, gave him his life: nevertheless, others say, that if a lion once taste human blood, he for ever after thirsts for it. So strong is this opinion in India, that an officer who was asleep with his left hand out of bed, was awoke by his pet lion licking him. Of course the rough tongue brought blood, and he tried to withdraw his hand. The lion gave a slight growl, upon which the officer took a loaded pistol from under his pillow, and shot him dead, feeling convinced if he escaped then, he should never again be safe.

I might multiply my stories of destruction and escapes, till they alone would form a volume, but I would rather give a few instances of the gratitude of this magnificent creature. "One day," relates Mr. Hope, "the company attended the Duchess of Hamilton to see her lion fed; and while they were teasing and provoking him, the porter came and said, that a sergeant with some recruits at the gate begged to see the lion. Her grace afforded permission; the lion was growling over his prey, the sergeant advanced to the cage, called "Nero, Nero, don't you know me," and the animal instantly raised his head; rose, left his food, and wagging his tail went to the bars of his cage. The man patted him, and then said it was three years since they had seen each other, that he had taken charge of the lion from Gibraltar, and he was glad to see the poor beast shew so much gratitude. The lion, indeed, seemed to be perfectly pleased, went to and fro, rubbing himself against the place where his old friend stood, and licked the sergeant's hand as he held it out to him."

A lion, which, for its extreme beauty, was to be sent to Paris from Senegal, fell sick before the departure of the vessel, and was let loose to die on an open space of ground. A traveller there, as he returned home from a hunting excursion, found him in a very exhausted state, and compassionately poured a quantity of milk down his throat. Thus refreshed, the poor beast recovered. From that time he became so tame, and was so attached to his benefactor, that he afterwards ate from his hand and followed him like a dog, with only a string tied round his neck.

M. Felix, one of the keepers of the animals of the Menagerie in Paris, became so ill, that another person was obliged to perform his duty. A male lion, whom, with a female, he himself had brought to the place, remained constantly at one end of his cage, and refused to eat anything given him by the stranger, at whom he often roared. He even disliked the company of the female, and paid no attention to her. The animal was supposed to be ill, and yet no one dared to approach him. At length M. Felix recovered, and intending to surprise the lion, showed his face between the bars. In a moment the beast made a bound, leaped against the bars, caressed him with his paws, licked his face, and trembled with pleasure. The female also ran to him; but the lion drove her back, as if she were not to snatch any of the favours from Felix, and he was about to quarrel with her. The keeper then entered the cage, and caressed them by turns, and after that often went to them, and had complete control over them. They would obey all his commands, and all their recompense was to lick his hand.

A curious circumstance took place at New Orleans in the year 1832, when a bear was let down into the cage of an old African lion, supposing it would be torn to pieces. As many people were assembled to see the barbarous exhibition, the bear placed himself in a fighting posture, and flew at the lion; but, to the great disappointment of all present, the lion placed his paw upon the bear's head, as if to express his pity, and tried to make friends with him. He took the bear under his protection, suffered no one to approach close to the cage, and did not sleep till he was exhausted, so closely did he watch over his new friend. He suffered the bear to eat, but long refused food for himself, and when the last accounts were received, continued to guard the bear as jealously as possible.

The lioness has no mane; is smaller, and more slender in her proportions than the male; she carries her head even with the line of her back, and wants the majestic courage of the lion, but she is more agile. Her temper is more irritable, and Mr. Gordon Cumming says:--"She is more dangerous before she has been a mother; yet every vestige of tameness or docility vanishes when she _is_ a mother, and she is then in a constant state of excitement, getting into the most violent fury if any one should attempt to touch her cubs." The story of the lioness which one night attacked one of the horses of the Exeter mail has been told so many different ways, that I am glad to copy the correct account from Captain Brown's "Popular Natural History":--"She had made her escape from a travelling Menagerie, on its way to Salisbury fair, and suddenly seized one of the leading horses. This, of course, produced great alarm and confusion, which was not lessened by perceiving what the enemy was; and two inside passengers took refuge in a house. A large mastiff attacked the intruder, upon which she quited the horse, and turned upon him; he fled, but she pursued and killed him, after running forty yards. On the alarm being given, her keepers went after her, till she took refuge under a granary, with the dog still within her teeth. They barricaded her there to prevent her escape, and she roared there so loudly, that she was heard half a mile off. She was afterwards secured and taken to her den; and of course her adventure increased the celebrity of the menagerie to which she belonged. Before this happened, she was considered as very tame, and never had given any signs of ferocity; she therefore affords another example, that it is not safe to trust these animals: of course the poor horse was dreadfully torn, and the expressions of his agony were most affecting; the lioness, however, had missed the vital parts."

The Puma or Cougar, of North and South America, is generally called a lion, but he has no mane, or tufted tail, and when young, his pale, fawn coat, is striped with blackish brown. These marks however, disappear with age. He is the largest of the feline tribe on that continent, and is very destructive to smaller animals. He rarely attacks man, and on some occasions evinces as much courage as the true lion, and a curious observation has been made by travellers, that he becomes less bold as he approaches to the north. One given to Professor Jamieson of Edinburgh, seemed to delight in playing with a tub of water, he also played with dogs and monkeys without the slightest interruption to their good understanding; but if a goat or a fowl came in sight, they were snapped up immediately. He made his escape one night in London; and offered no resistance when caught by a watchman. He is hunted on the Pampas by dogs, and the Indians secure him with the bolas or the lasso. He climbs trees with great facility; his skin makes excellent gloves; and many persons consider his flesh to be dainty food.

Mr. Waterton, in one of his essays, makes some remarks, and relates a story which ought to be inserted in every book which treats of feline animals; therefore, although many others have quoted them, I do not apologize for inserting an abridgment of them here. He says, all animals of the dog tribe must be combated with might and main, and with unceasing exertion, in their attacks upon man; for from the moment they obtain the mastery, they worry and tear their victim as long as life remains in it. On the contrary, animals of the cat tribe, having once overcome their prey, cease for a certain time to inflict further injury upon it. Thus, during the momentous intervals, from the stroke which has laid a man beneath a lion, to the time when the lion shall begin to devour him, the man may have it in his power to rise again; either by his own exertions, or by the fortunate intervention of an armed friend. But then all depends upon quiet on the part of the man, until he plunges his dagger into the heart of the animal; for if he tries to resist, he is sure to feel the force of his adversary's claws and teeth with redoubled vengeance. Many years ago, Colonel Duff, in India, was laid low by the stroke of a Bengal tiger. On coming to himself, he found the animal standing over him. Recollecting that he had his dirk by his side, he drew it out of the case, in the most cautious manner possible, and by one happy thrust quite through the heart, he laid the tiger dead at his side.

The particular instance, however, to which Mr. Waterton alludes, and which was told him by the parties themselves, I now briefly give:--The weather was intolerably sultry. After vainly spending a considerable time in creeping through the grass and bushes, with the hope of discovering the place of the lion's retreat, they (the party) concluded that he had passed quite through the jungle, and gone off in an opposite direction. Resolved not to let their game escape, Lieutenants Delamain and Lang returned to the elephant, and immediately proceeded round the jungle, expecting to discover the route which they conjectured the lion had taken. Captain Woodhouse, however, remained in the thicket, and as he could discern the print of the animal's foot on the ground, he boldly resolved to follow up the track at all hazards. The Indian game-finder who continued with his commander, at last espied the lion in the covert, and pointed him out to the Captain, who fired, but unfortunately missed his mark. There was now no alternative left but to retreat and load his rifle. Having retired to a distance he was joined by Lieutenant Delamain, who had dismounted from his elephant on hearing the report of the gun. This unexpected meeting increased the Captain's hopes of ultimate success. He pointed out to the Lieutenant the place where he would probably find the lion, and said he would be up with him in a moment or two.

Lieutenant Delamain on going eight or ten paces down, got a sight of the lion and discharged his rifle at him. This irritated the mighty king, and he rushed towards him. Captain Woodhouse now found himself placed in an awkward situation. He was aware that if he retraced his steps in order to put himself in a better position for attack he would just get to the point to which the lion was making, wherefore he instantly resolved to stand still, in the hopes that the lion would pass by at a distance of four yards or so, without perceiving him, as the intervening cover was thick and strong. In this, however, he was deceived; for the enraged lion saw him as he passed, and flew at him with a dreadful roar. In an instant, as though it had been done by a stroke of lightning, the rifle was broken and thrown out of the Captain's hand, his left leg at the same moment being seized by the claws, and his right arm by the teeth, of his desperate antagonist. Lieutenant Delamain ran up and discharged his piece full at the lion; and this caused the lion and the Captain to come to the ground together, whilst the Lieutenant hastened out of the jungle to re-load his gun. The lion now began to crunch the Captain's arm; but the brave fellow, notwithstanding the pain, had the cool determined resolution to lie still. The lordly savage let the arm drop out of his mouth, and quietly placed himself in a couching position, with both his paws upon the thigh of his fallen foe. While things were in this untoward situation, the Captain unthinkingly, raised his hand to support his head, which had got placed ill at ease in the fall. No sooner, however, had he moved it, than the lion seized the lacerated arm a second time; crunched it as before, and fractured the bone still higher up. This additional _memento mori_ from the lion was not lost on Captain Woodhouse; it immediately put him in mind that he had committed an act of imprudence in stirring. The motionless state in which he persevered after this broad hint, shewed that he had learnt to profit by the painful lesson.

The two Lieutenants were now hastening to his assistance, and he heard the welcome sound of feet approaching; but unfortunately they were in a wrong direction, as the lion was betwixt them and him. Aware that if his friends fired, the balls would hit him, after they had passed through the lion's body, Captain Woodhouse quietly pronounced, in a low and subdued tone, "to the other side! to the other side!" Hearing the voice, they looked in the direction from whence it proceeded, and to their horror saw their brave comrade in his utmost need. Having made a circuit, they cautiously came up on the other side; and Lieutenant Delamain, whose coolness in encounters with wild beasts had always been conspicuous, from a distance of about a dozen yards, fired at the lion over the person of the prostrate warrior. The lion merely quivered; his head dropped upon the ground, and in an instant he lay dead on his side, close to his intended victim.

TIGERS.

The Tiger is exclusively an Asiatic animal, and his range extends, not only over the more southern part of that continent, but to the larger islands of the Archipelago, where he is particularly destructive. He is as tall as the lion, but not quite so powerful; he is, however, more agile, more graceful, and more insidious. He crouches, and mostly springs in the same manner as the lion and other feline animals; he is more ferocious, and will even fight with the lion. He seems to delight in blood itself, for he will kill several victims, suck their blood, and leave their carcasses to be devoured at another opportunity.

The colour of the tiger is a bright orange tawny, white underneath, and broad black stripes on the back, sides and tail. His head is rounder than that of the lion, and he takes the most enormous leaps; he is to be tamed to a certain extent, but never trusted. He prowls both night and day; and in some places, the devastation he has caused is terrific. Nothing can exceed the tragic tales which are told of him, in the countries where he exists in numbers; and in one part of India, it is said that at least three hundred lives were taken every year, within a district containing seven villages, independent of an enormous number of sheep, goats, and cattle. Horses will not stand in his presence with any steadiness; and the elephant is restless when in his vicinity. This sagacious animal often manages to shake him off; and if he have taken hold of his trunk, he tramples on him with his fore-feet and so destroys him. If he cannot dislodge him from his body, he lies down upon him, and attempts to kill him by rolling his ponderous weight upon him. Seldom, however, is the tiger the aggressor, unless he be driven to it by hunger, or maddened by pain and despair, and then he struggles till he dies. He hides himself with such caution and skill, that travellers are laid hold of without being aware of his vicinity. The bride has been snatched from her camel, the sportsman from his elephant, and the child from its mother.

Tigers are much more easily caught in traps than lions; and those most used, are made so as to fall upon them when they seize the bait. In Sumatra the natives poison the carcasses which are left for them, or they fasten these baits to a stake, or tree, and place a vessel filled with arsenic and water near by, of which the tiger invariably drinks, after making a full meal.

A tiger is easily started by a sudden noise, as the well-known story of Mrs. Day and her umbrella will prove; but I have another and more recent instance of this, which occurred to my brother. He was one evening on his return to his own house, from that of a brother officer with whom he had been dining, and he was met by his servants, who intreated of him to make haste home, for there was a tiger prowling round; and, in fact, a jackal was close to him, who so often accompanies the tiger when seeking his prey. My brother had been two or three years in India, and yet had never seen one of these animals, so he told his men they might return, but he should stay, for he much wished to see a tiger. They in vain tried to dissuade him; but, fancying the beast was close by, they all ran away, and left him to his fate. He sat down quietly by the bank of his garden, and had not been there long when the tiger actually appeared. He stopped, looked very grand, and seemed doubtful whether he should make an attack on the motionless person before him, and there never was a more beautiful animal than he appeared to be. He uttered a sort of growl, and crouched down, as the cat often does when tormenting a mouse; and my brother almost gave himself up for lost. He fancied that he had been hidden, and that the tiger could not perceive him as he passed; but he took off his grenadier cap, which was large, and covered with bear's skin, and putting it before his face roared in it as loudly as he could; the noise and the action so surprised the tiger, that he turned round, and leaped into the neighbouring thicket. My brother hastened away, and met his servants, who, now the danger was over, were coming to protect their master with drums and torches.