DEFENCE OK CUBS. 87 



nothing; the third night, however, at an early hour, 

 the mother, accompanied by her cubs, which were 

 pretty well grown, made her appearance. 



" One of the cubs had already scented the pros- 

 trate horse, which was lying, belly upwards, in the 

 bed of the ravine, and at once made up to the car- 

 case. The mother had couched, and was watching 

 its proceedings, and, whilst looking about her on all 

 sides, perceived me. Our eyes had hardly met, 

 however, when, with a bound, she threw herself on 

 her cub, as if about to devour it. The poor creature 

 at once took to flight, and nothing remained before 

 me but the horse. 



" A novice would have said to himself, ' Why did 

 I not fire ?' and would have considered the game as 

 lost. I knew that the game was not yet played, 

 and that it would not be easy to win it. 



" Suddenly, to my left, and almost behind me, I 

 heard a noise as of a mouse rustling amongst the 

 bushes; and, directing my attention to that side, I 

 first perceived two great paws, then a long mous- 

 tache, and, finally, an enormous nose. 



" The gun was to the shoulder, the finger to the 

 trigger; and at the instant that the eyes, fixed and 

 flashing, became visible, an ingot of iron departed 

 and did its work." 



It is said that, should the lion, in making 

 his spring at a deer or other animal, fall short 

 of or pass over the victim, as not unf'requently 

 happens, he usually gives up fun her pursuit, and 

 returns sulkily, growling, to his ambush, there 

 to lie in wait for another opportunity. 



