64 



ADVENTURE WITH A LION.— MIRACULOUS 

 ESCAPE. 



In the month of July, 1831, two fine lions made their appearance 

 in a jungle, some twenty miles distant from the cantonment of 

 Raj cote, in the East Indies, where Captain Wood house, and his 

 two friends. Lieutenants Delamainand Lang, were stationed. An 

 elephant was dispatched to the place in the evening on which the 

 information arrived ; and on the morrow, at the break of day, the 

 three gentlemen, set off on horseback^ full of glee, and elated with 

 the hope of a speedy engagement. On arriving at the edge of 

 the jungle, people were ordered to ascend the neighbouring trees, 

 that they might be uble to trace the route of the lions, in case 

 they left the cover. After beating about in the jungle for some 

 time, the hunters started the two lordly strangers. The officers 

 fired immediately, and one of the lions fell to rise no more. His 

 companion broke cover, and took off across the country. The 

 officers now pursued him on horseback, as fast as tlie nature of 

 the ground would allow, until they leanied from the men who 

 were stationed in the trees, and who held up flags by way of sig- 

 nal, that the lion had gone back into the tliicket. Upon this, the 

 three officers returned to the edge of the jungle, and having dis- 

 mounted from their horses, they got upon the elephant; Captain 

 Woodhouse placing himself in the hindermost seat. They now 

 proceeded towards the heart of the jungle, in the expectation of 

 rousing the royal fugitive a second time. They found him standing 

 under a large bush, with his face directly towards them. The 

 lion allowed them to approach within range of his spring, and 

 then he made a sudden dart at tlie elephant, clung on his trunk 

 with a tremendous roar, and wounded him just above the eye. 

 W^hile he was in the act of doing this, the two lieutenants fired at 

 him, but without success. The elephant now shook him off; but 

 the fierce and sudden attack on the part of the lion seemed to 

 have thrown him into the greatest consternation. Tliis was the 

 first time he had ever come in contact with so formidable an 

 animal ; and much exertion was used before his riders succeeded 

 in urging him on again in quest of the lion. At last, he became 

 somewhat more tractable ; but, as he was advancing through the 

 jungle, all of a sudden, the lion, which had lain concealed in the 

 high grass, made at him witli redoubled fury. The officers now 

 lost all hopes of keeping their elephant in order. He turned 

 round abruptly, and was going away quite ungovernable, when 



