164 ANNUAL REGISTER, 1816. 



focated. No sooner was the old 

 woman safe, than she became ex- 

 tremely anxious to recover her 

 silk blockings, and some guinea- 

 pigs, wliicli. to lier great joy, the 

 workmen likewise got out. At 

 the time of the accident, it ap- 

 peared that the old woman was 

 drinking tea with two female 

 acquaintances ; and the tliird suf- 

 ferer, accompanied by the little 

 girl, had come to inquire after 

 some stockings which liad been 

 left to be grafted. 



20. The Exeter mail-coach, on 

 its way to London, was attacked 

 on Sunday night at \\'interslow- 

 hut, seven miles on this side of 

 Salisbury, in a most extraordinary 

 manner. At the moment when 

 the coachman pulled up to dclivtr 

 his bags, one of tiie leaders was 

 suddenly seized by a ferocious 

 animal. This produced great con- 

 fusion and alarm ; two passengers 

 who were inside the mail got out, 

 ran into the house, and locked 

 thenisehcs up in a room above 

 stairs ; the horses kicked and 

 ])lunged violently, and it was with 

 difficulty the coachman could pre- 

 vent the caniage from being 

 overturned. It was soon per- 

 ceived by the coachman and guard, 

 by the light of the lamps, ih.at 

 the animal ■\\hlch had seized the 

 horse was a huge lioness. A large 

 mastiff dog canae up, and attacked 

 her fiercely, on which she quitted 

 the horse, and turned upon him. 

 The dog fled, but was pursued 

 and killed by the lioncbs within 

 about 40 }'ard3 of the place. It 

 appears that the beast had escaped 

 from a caravan that was standing 

 on the roadside, belongijig totbc 

 proprietors of a me.nagerie, on 

 their way to Salisbury fair. An 



alarm being given, the keepers 

 pursued and hunted the lioness 

 into an hovel, under a granary, 

 which served for keeping agri- 

 cultural implements. About half 

 past eight they had secui'ed her so 

 effectually, by barricading the 

 ])lace, as to prevent her esca])e. 

 The horse, when first attacked, 

 fought with great spirit, and if at 

 liberty, would probably have 

 beaten down his antagonist with 

 his fore feet, but in jjlunging he 

 embanassed himself in the har- 

 ness. The lioness, it appears, 

 had attacked him in front, and 

 springing at his throat, had 

 fastened the talons of her foie 

 feet on each side of Ins neck, close 

 to the head, while the talons of 

 her hind feet v>ere forced into his 

 chest. In this situation she hung, 

 while the blood was seen flying, 

 as if a vein had been opened by 

 a lancet. The ferocious animal 

 missed the throat and the jugular 

 ^ein, but the horse is so dread- 

 fully lorn, he is not expected to 

 survive. He was a capital horse, 

 the liest in the set. The expres- 

 sion of agony in Iiis tears and 

 moans was most piteous and af- 



fecting. 



A fresh horse having 



been procured, tiie mail drove on 

 after having been detained three 

 quarters of an hour i^y this ex- 

 traordinary obstiuction. The 

 horse attaelced was the off leader, 

 and as the mail drew up stood 

 exactly abreast of the caravan 

 from which the lioness made the 

 assault. Had the carriage been 

 a little more advanced, she would 

 probably ha^e darted upon the 

 coachman or guard, who in that 

 case Avould have been more im- 

 mediately within her eye. The 

 coachnian at first pro|Josed to 



alight 



