ADVENTURE WITH A LiON. 65 



the lion again sprang at him, seized his hinder parts with his 

 teeth, and hung on them, until the affriglued animal managed to 

 shake him off by incessant kicking. 



The lion retreated farther into the thicket; Captain Woodhouse 

 in the mean time, firing a random shot at him, which proved of 

 no avail; as the jolting of the elephant, and the uproar of the 

 moment, prevented him from taking a steady aim. No exertions 

 on the part of the officers could now force the terrified elephant 

 to face his fierce foe, and they found themselves reduced to the 

 necessity of dismounting. Determined, however, to come to still 

 closer quarters with tlie formidable king of quadrupeds, Captain 

 Woodhouse took the desperate resolution to proceed on foot in 

 quest of him ; and, after searching about for some time, he saw 

 the lion indistinctly through the bushes, and discharged his rifle 

 at him ; but he was pretty well convinced that he had not hit 

 him ; for he saw the lion retire, with the utmost composure, into 

 the thicker parts of the brake. The two lieutenants, who had 

 remained at tlie outside of the jungle, joined their companion, on 

 hearing the report of his gun. ' 



The weather was miolerably 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 con- 

 cluded that he had passed quite through the jungle, and gone off 

 in an opposite direction. Resolved not to let their game escape, 

 the lieutenants returned to the elephant, and immediately pro- 

 ceeded round the jungle, expecting to discover the route which 

 they conjectured the lion had taken. Captain Woodhouse, how- 

 ever, remained in the thicket, and, as he could discern the print 

 of the animal's feet on the ground, he boldly resolved to follow 

 up the track, at all hazards. The Indian gamefinder, who 

 continued with his commander, at last espied the lion in the 

 cover, and pointed him out to the captain, who fired, but unfor- 

 tunately missed his mark. There was now no alternative left but 

 to retreat and to 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 

 lost no time in pointing 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 a sheep 

 track, got a sight of the lion, and instantly discliarged his rifle at 

 VOL. VII.— 1836. I 



