HISTORY OF THE LION. 17 



the reader r n idea of the chase of the lion : they are all 

 attended w'.th the same hair-breadth escapes, and exciting 

 adventure ; the same mixed array of noise and followers. 

 We shall only add one or two anecdotes from the above 

 mentioned sketches, which will illustrate a situation in 

 which the hunters of wild beasts may occasionally find 

 themselves placed. 



Captain Mundy relates a case, where he says : "A lion 

 having chased my hero's elephant, and he having wounded 

 him, was in the act of leaning in order to fire another shot, 

 when the front of the houdah suddenly gave way, and he 

 was precipitated over the head of the elephant into the very 

 jaws of the furious beast. The lion, though severely hurt, 

 immediately seized him, and would doubtless shortly have 

 put a fatal termination to the conflict, had not the elephant, 

 urged by the mahout, stepped forward, though greatly 

 alarmed, and grasped in her trunk the top of a young tree, 

 bent it down across the loins of the lion, and thus forced 

 him to quit his hold. My friend's life was thus preserved ; 

 but his arm was broken in two places, and he was severely 

 clawed on the breast and shoulders." 



From the above observations and anecdotes which have 

 almost exceeded our limits ws will conclude by giving 

 him a brief notice while in a state of confinement, or nearly 

 to that of domestication ; for most of those which have been 

 exhibited, or which are now to be seen Cither in Europe 

 or this country have been taken young, aud grown up 

 under the tuition of man ; and hence, have not acquired 

 these propensities which example and necessity render so 

 very marked in their native wilds. The lion, when taken 

 young, is easily tamed ; principally by mild and persuasive 

 usage ; and appears to possess more equality of temper 

 than any of the other cats, with which an acquaintance of 

 intimacy has been formed. The more manageable he can 

 be made, the more valuable he is to his proprietor, who 

 i* 



