The chief food of the lion consists of the flesh of the larger herbivorous animals. There are very few animals he is unable to master. The swift-footed antelope has no foe to be so much dreaded as the lion. Concealing himself in the high rushes which line the river's bank, he lies in ambush for the timid herd, till they approach the water at nightfall to quench their thirst. Slowly, cautiously, the beautiful antelopes approach. They listen with ears erect, straining their eyes to pierce the gloom of the thicket. Nothing suspicious nor alarming appears, and the beautiful creatures move along the bank.
They quaff long, deep draughts of the delicious water, without thought of danger. Suddenly, with a mighty spring, as lightning bursts from the cloud, the wary lion bounds upon the unsuspecting herd, and in a twinkling the leader lies prostrate at the mercy of his foe, while his frightened companions fly blindly into the desert.
Andersson witnessed the very uncommon sight of a lion seizing his prey in broad daylight. He had had an encounter late one evening with a lion, and had badly wounded him. The following morning he set out with some of his men to follow the tracks of the wounded animal.
"Presently," he writes, "we came upon the trail of a whole troop of lions, as also that of a solitary giraffe. So many tracks confused us, and while endeavoring to pick out from the rest those of the wounded lion, I observed my native attendants suddenly rush forward, and the next instant the jungle re-echoed with the shouts of triumph.
"Thinking they had discovered the lion we were in pursuit of, I also hurried forward; but imagine my surprise when, emerging into an opening in the jungle, I saw, not a dead lion, as I expected, but five living lions,—two males and three females,—two of which were in the act of pulling down a splendid giraffe, the other three watching close at hand, and with devouring looks, the deadly strife.
"The scene was of so imposing a nature that for the moment I forgot I carried a gun. The natives, however, in anticipation of a glorious gorge, dashed madly forward, and with the most piercing shrieks and yells compelled the lions to a hasty retreat. When I reached the giraffe, now stretched at full length on the sand, it made a few ineffectual efforts to raise its head, its body heaved and quivered for a moment, and the next instant the poor animal was dead.
"It had received several deep gashes about the flanks and chest, caused by the claws and teeth of its fierce assailants. The strong and tough muscles of the neck were also bitten through. All thought of pursuing the wounded lion was now out of the question. The natives remained gorging on the carcass of the giraffe until it was devoured. A day or two afterward, however, I had the good fortune to fall in with my royal antagonist, and finished him without difficulty."
THE LION'S RIDE.
The lion is the desert's king; through his domain so wide
Right swiftly and right royally this night he means to ride.
By the sedgy brink, where the wild herds drink, close couches the grim old
chief;
The trembling sycamore above whispers with every leaf.
At evening on the Table Mount, when ye can see no more
The changeful play of signals gay; when the gloom is speckled o'er
With kraal fires; when the Caffre wends home through the lone karroo;
When the boshbok in the thicket sleeps, and by the stream the gnu;