LIOV AND DOGS. 21 1 



a few yards from him, most of us being on foot and 

 unarmed, without any visible possibility of escaping. 

 I had given up my horse to the hunters, and was on 

 foot myself, but there was no time for fear, and it 

 was useless to atteTupt avoiding him. Poor Truy 

 was in great alarm ; she clasped her infant to her 

 bosom, and screamed out as if she thought her de- 

 struction inevitable, calling to those who were near- 

 est the animal, ' Take care ! take care !' In great 

 fear for my safety, she had insisted on my moving 

 farther off. I, however, stood well upon my guard, 

 holding my pistols in my hand, with my linger upon 

 the trigger, and those who had muskets kept them- 

 selves prepared in the same manner. But at this 

 instant the dogs boldly flew in between us and the 

 lion, and, surrounding him, kept him at bay by their 

 violent and resolute barking. The courage of those 

 faithful animals was most admirable; they advanced 

 up to the side of the huge beast, and stood, making 

 the ^reatest clamours in his face, without the least an- 



e> i 



pearance of fear. The lion, conscious of his strength, 

 remained unmoved at their noisy attempts, and kept 

 his head turned towards us. At one moment the dogs, 

 perceiving his eye thus engaged, had advanced close 

 to his feet, and seemed as it they would actually sci/.e 

 hold of him; but they paid dearly for their impru- 

 dence, for, without discomposing the majestic and 

 steady attitude in which he stood fixed, he merely 

 moved his paw, and, at the next instant, 1 beheld 

 two lying dead. In doing this he made so little 

 exertion, that it was scarcely perceptible by what 

 means thev had been killed. Of the time which we 



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