THE FELINE AND CANINE TRIBES, 115 
death seemed utterly hopeless. The principals in 
this affair were a brave young British officer and a 
full-grown lion of India. I was at Frankfort on the 
Mayne in August last, and I heard the account 
from the officer’s own mouth. I shall never forget 
the affable and unassuming manner in which he re- 
lated itto me. I repeatedly urged him to allow me 
to put it on record, and at the same time to make 
use of his name ; but I plainly saw that his feelings 
were against his complying with my request; and I 
think I should not have succeeded, had I not luckily 
brought to my assistance the plea of benefit to 
natural history. With this I conquered the objec- 
tions of the young soldier ; and I only wish that it 
had fallen to an abler pen than mine to relate the 
following adventure. 
In the month of July, 1831, two fine lions made 
their appearance in a jungle some twenty miles 
distant from the cantonment of Rajcoté, in the East 
Indies, where Captain Woodhouse, and his two 
friends, Lieutenants Delamain and Lang, were sta- 
tioned. 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 
gentlemen 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 
12 
