THE FELINE AND CANINE TRIBES. 119 



in a better position for attack, he would just get to 

 the point from which the lieutenant had fired, and 

 to which the lion was making ; wherefore he in- 

 stantly resolved to stand still, in the hopes that the 

 lion would pass by, at a distance of four yards or so, 

 without perceiving him, as the intervening cover 

 was thick and strong. In this, however, he was 

 most unfortunately deceived ; for the enraged lion 

 saw him in passing, and flew at him with a dreadful 

 roar. In an instant, as though it had been done by 

 a stroke of lightning, the rifle was broken and 

 thrown out of the captain's hand, his left arm at the 

 same moment being seized by the claws, and his 

 right by the teeth, of his desperate antagonist. 

 While these two brave and sturdy combatants, 

 " whose courage none could stain," were yet stand- 

 ing in mortal conflict, Lieutenant Delamain ran up, 

 and discharged his piece full at the lion. This 

 caused the lion and the captain to come to the 

 ground together, while Lieutenant Delamain has- 

 tened out of the jungle to reload his gun. The 

 lion now began to craunch the captain's arm ; but as 

 the brave fellow, notwithstanding the pain which 

 this horrid process caused, had the cool determined 

 resolution to lie still, the lordly savage let the arm 

 drop out of his mouth, and quietly placed himself in 

 a couching position, with both his paws upon the 

 thigh of his fallen foe. While things were in this 

 untoward situation, the captain unthinkingly raised 

 his hand to support his head, which had got placed 

 ill at ease in the fall. No sooner, however, had he 

 moved it, than the lion seized the lacerated arm a 

 I !- 



