HISTORY OF THE LION. 13 



continue to wound him ineffectually, till he becomes furious 

 and desperate ; or if the horses, startled by his terrific 

 roar, grow frantic with terror, and burst loose, the business 

 becomes rather serious, and may end in mischief; espe- 

 cially if all the party are not men of courage, coolness, and 

 experience. 



" In the present instance, we did not manage matters 

 quite so scientifically. ' The Hottentots, after recounting 

 to us all these and other sage laws of lion-hunting, were 

 themselves the first to depart from them. Finding that 

 the few indifferent hounds w^e had made little impression 

 on the enemy, they divided themselves into two or three 

 parties, and rode round the jungle,, firing into the spot 

 where the dogs were barking near him, but without effect. 

 At length, after a few hours spent about the bush, the 

 Scotch blood of some of my countrymen began to get 

 impatient, and three of them announced their determina- 

 tion to break in and beard the lion in his den, provided, 

 three of the Hottentots (who were superior marksmen) 

 would support them, and follow up the fire, should the 

 enemy venture to give battle. Accordingly, in they went 

 to within fifteen or twenty paces of where the animal lay 

 concealed, among the roots of a large evergreen; the 

 Scottish champions let fly together, and struck not the 

 lion, as it afterwards proved, but a great block of red stone, 

 beyond which he was actually lying. Whether any of the 

 shot actually grazed him, is uncertain ; but, with no other 

 warning than a furious growl, he bolted forth from the 

 bush. The rascally Hottentots, instead of pouring in their 

 volley upon him, instantly turned and ran helter skelter, 

 leaving him to do his pleasure upon the defenceless Scots, 

 who, with empty guns, were tumbling over each other, in 

 their hurry to escape the clutch of the rampant savage. In 

 a twinkling he was upon them, and, with one stroke of his 

 paw, dashed the nearest to the ground. The scene was 



