178 LECTURE XIIL 



retired a short distance to load, then advanced 

 and fired. The lion made off; but a ball that 

 he received nearly stopped him, as it went clean 

 through his shoulder-blade. He was followed 

 up and killed, after having charged several 

 times. Both lions were males. It is not often 

 that two lions and a buffalo are lagged in about 

 ten minutes. It was an adventure not to be 

 forgotten." 



On another occasion, Dr. Livingstone fired 

 two shots at a lion he saw on a projecting rock. 

 While he was re-loading his gun, he heard a 

 shout. Starting, and looking round, he saw the 

 lion just in the act of springing on him. He 

 was on a slight elevation, when the beast caught 

 his shoulder as he sprang, and both came to the 

 ground below. Growling terribly close to Dr. 

 Livingstone's ear, he shook him as a terrier-dog 

 does a rat. Turning round to relieve himself of 

 his weight, for the lion had one paw on his 

 head, he saw the fierce animal's eyes directed to 

 a man who was trying to shoot him at a small 

 distance off. His gun, however, a flint one, 

 missed fire in both barrels. The lion imme- 

 diately left Dr. Livingstone, and, attacking the 

 man, bit his thigh. Another man attempted to 



