16 HISTORX OF THE LION. 



laid himself quietly down in the shade, upon the very 

 threshold of the door. My wife, either frozen with fear, 

 or aware of the danger attending any attempt to fly, t 

 remained motionless in her place, while the children took 

 refuge in her lap. The cry they uttered immediately 

 attracted my attention. I hastened towards the door ; but 

 my astonishment may well be conceived, when I found the 

 entrance to it barred in such a way. Although the animal 

 had not seen me, unarmed as I was, escape seemed impos- 

 sible ; yet I glided gently scarcely knowing what I went 

 to do to the side of the house, up to the window of my 

 chamber, where I knew my loaded gun was standing, and 

 which I found in such a condition, that I could reach it 

 with my hand a most fortunate circumstance; and still 

 more so, when I found that the door of the room was open, 

 so that I could see the whole danger of the scene. The 

 lion was beginning to move, perhaps with the intention of 

 making a spring. There was no longer any time to think. 

 I called softly to the mother not to be alarmed ; and, invok- 

 ing the name of the Lord, fired my piece. The ball passed 

 directly over the hair of my boy's head, and lodged in the 

 forehead of the lion, immediately above his eyes, which 

 shot forth, as it were, sparks of fire, and stretched him on 

 the ground, so that he never stirred more.' Indeed, we all, 

 shuddered as we listened to this relation. Never (as he 

 himself observed) was a more daring attempt hazarded. 

 Had he failed in his aim, mother and children were all 

 inevitably lost : if the boy had moved, he would have been 

 struck with the ball : the least turn in the lion, the shot 

 would not have been mortal to him." 



Such is lion-hunting in Africa. When practised in India, 

 it is attended with every concomitant of Eastern pomp and 

 show. The numbers of the tiger also afford a good substi- 

 tute, and a description of the pursuit of that animal (which 

 we shall give in its history hereafter,) will convey to 



