120 DEFENCE AGAINST ANIMALS OF 
second time, craunched it as before, and fractured 
the bone still higher up. This additional memento 
mori from the lion was not lost upon Captain Wood- 
house ; it immediately put him in mind that he had 
committed an act of imprudence in stirring. The 
motionless state in which he persevered after this 
_ broad hint, showed that he had learned to profit by 
the painful lesson. 
He now lay bleeding and disabled under the foot 
of a mighty and an irritated enemy. Death was 
close upon him, armed with every terror calculated 
to appal the heart of a prostrate and defenceless 
man. Just as this world, with all its flitting honours, 
was on the point of vanishing for ever, he heard two 
faint reports of a gun, which he thought sounded 
from a distance; but he was totally at a loss to 
account for them. He learned, after the affair was 
over, that the reports were caused by his friend at 
the outside of the jungle, who had flashed off some 
powder in order to be quite sure that the nipples of 
his rifle were clean. 
The two lieutenants were now hastening to his 
assistance, and he heard the welcome sound of feet 
approaching ; but, unfortunately, they were in a 
wrong direction, as the lion was betwixt them and 
him. Aware that if his friends fired, the balls 
would hit him, after they had passed through the 
lion’s body, Captain Woodhouse quietly pronounced, 
in a low and subdued tone, “to the other side! to 
the other side!” Hearing the voice, they looked 
in the direction from whence it proceeded, and to 
their horror saw their brave comrade in his utmost 
