12 HOT CONFLICT. 



I was nearer to the dogs than my companions ; and anxious to 

 benefit by the opportunity, I ran so hurriedly and heedlessly 

 as to fall just as I reached the spot where the fight was 

 going on, and as near as might be upon the lynx himself. 

 My very unexpected presence so surprised the combatants, 

 that the field of battle was forthwith removed, some twenty 

 to thirty paces, to another brake so very dense, that to 

 enable me to see what was going forward, I was necessitated 

 to crawl on my hands and knees. Encouraged by my 

 presence and cheers, the dogs still more furiously beset 

 the lynx, which repelled their often repeated attacks in the 

 most gallant manner. Lying on his back, he with his sharp 

 and cutting claws, struck out in every direction with the 

 rapidity of lightning, dealing wounds on all sides, and in degree 

 at least keeping his enemies at a distance. The beast's head 

 was towards me ; but the dogs evinced such an extreme 

 degree of ardour and courage, that for a while I dared 

 not to fire, for fear of hitting one or the other of them. 

 At length, however, in the midst of this hot conflict, 

 one of the dogs, more courageous than the rest, rushed 

 between the hind legs of the lynx with the intention appa- 

 rently of seizing him by the throat ; and as at the same 

 time the beast's breast became exposed to view, I took 

 the opportunity and fired whilst at only four or five 

 paces' distance ; and in an instant a period was put to 

 his existence. 



" It was an old and full-grown male. What with the 

 baying of the dogs our shouts and the deep growling of 

 the lynx, which was distinctly to be heard in the melee 

 the scene to a sportsman was most interesting. 



" Eleven out of the sixteen dogs were so wounded, that 



