492. DEFENCE AGAINST ANIMALS OF 



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

 in the East Indies, where Captain Woodhouse and his two friends, 

 Lieutenants Delamain and Lang, were stationed. An elephant was 

 despatched to the place in the evening on which the information 

 arrived ; and on the morrow, at the break of day, the three gentle- 

 men 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 

 able 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 the nature of the ground would allow, until they learned from 

 the men who were stationed in the trees, and who held up flags by way 

 of signal, that the lion had gone back into the thicket. 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 pro- 

 ceeded 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 the elephant, clung on his trunk with a tremendous 

 roar, and wounded him just above the eye. While he was in the 

 act of doing this, the two lieutenants fired at him, but without suc- 

 cess. 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. This was the first time he had ever corns 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 with 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 the lion again sprung at him, seized his hinder parts with his 



