THE LION. 107 



of the door. My wife, either frozen with fear, or 

 aware of the danger attending any attempt to fly, 

 remained motionless in her place, while the children 

 took refuge in her lap. The cry they uttered at- 

 tracted my attention, and I hastened towards the 

 door ; hut my astonishment may well be conceived, 

 when I found the entrance to it barred in such a 

 way. Although the animal had not seen me, un- 

 armed as I was, escape seemed impossible, yet I 

 glided gently, scarcely knowing what I meant to do, 

 to the side of the house, up to the window of my 

 chamber, where I knew my loaded gun was stand- 

 j ing. By a most happy chance I had set it into the 

 corner close by the window, so that I could reach it 

 with my hand ; for, as you may perceive, the opening 

 is too small to admit of my having got in ; and, still 

 more fortunately, the door of the room was open, so 

 that I could see the whole danger of the scene. The 

 lion was beginning to move, perhaps with the inten- 

 tion of making a spring. There was no longer any 

 time to think ; I called softly to the mother not to 

 be alarmed : and invoking the name of the Lord, 

 fired my piece. The ball passed directly over the 

 hair of my boy's head, and lodged in the forehead 

 of the lion, immediately above his eyes, which shot 

 forth, as it were, sparks of fire, and stretched him on 

 the ground, so that he never stirred more.' Indeed, 

 we all shuddered as we listened to this relation. Ne- 

 ver, as he himself observed, was a more daring at- 

 tempt hazarded. Had he failed in his aim, mother 



