84 THE LION. 



a lion will not willingly attack any living thing 

 whilst on its guard and aware of his presence. 



" The very next day," my friend added, " I shot 

 the beast in question." 



In many of the Assyrian sculptures deposited in 

 the British Museum, we find the lion depicted not 

 only as an object of the chase, but as an emblem 

 of wisdom. If cunning and sagacity may be called 

 wisdom, it cannot be denied that this beast pos- 

 sesses those qualities in a high degree ; and if one 

 tenth of the stories told of him be true, he would 

 almost bear away the palm of wiliness from the fox. 



" Let cavillers deny 



That brutes have reason; sure 'tis something more, 

 Tis heaven directs, and stratagem inspires 

 Beyond the short extent of human thought." 



Amongst the many instances of the royal beast's 

 cunning, that related to me by Mr. Green is not, 

 perhaps, the least curious. 



He and young Bonfield had one night ensconced 

 themselves in a " screen"* to wait for elephants. 

 About nine o'clock, there being then no moon, 

 Green saw an animal, the outline of it rather, 

 which after a little consideration he concluded to bo 

 a lion ; and when shortly afterwards, it repassed 

 the " screen" he no longer entertained any doubts 

 as to its identity. Later in the evening the beast 

 passed and repassed their hiding-place repeatedly; 



* That is, a small circular enclosure, six to eight feet in diameter, 

 the walls, usually consisting of loose stones, being about two feet in 

 height. 



