ADVICE TO THE AMATEUR LION HUNTER. 163 



You can let them pass, and attack her. In case the cubs 

 are of younger age than this, be prudent, for the mother will 

 not wait for you to attack either her or her young, but as 

 soon as she perceives you, she will take the offensive, and it 

 is not an easy thing to escape from such a duel. As for 

 example : 



During November, 1846, a lion had killed and dragged off 

 a horse to the bottom of a ravine where I discovered it. I 

 judged from the footprint that it must be a lioness, and 

 awaited her return seated at the foot of a mastic. 



The first night nothing came ; the second nothing ; at an 

 early hour on the third, the old lady arrived, preceded by her 

 little ones, pretty well grown. 



One of them was already snuffing the dead horse that lay 

 on his back, in the bottom of the ravine, and was just com- 

 mencing his repast, when his mother, who had lain down to 

 watch, after looking all around, perceived me. Our eyes had 

 scarcely met, when, with one bound, she jumped on her little 

 one, as if about to devour him. The frightened cub took 

 flight in the twinkling of an eye, and nothing was left in the 

 ravine but myself and the horse. 



A novice would have said : why did he not fire sooner ? and 

 would look upon the game as lost, I knew it was no child's 

 play that I had in hand, and was determined the lioness 

 should not be the winner if I could help it ; so my eyes and 

 ears were all attention. Suddenly I heard on my left, and 

 almost behind me, like the noise of a mouse, something brush- 

 ing against a bush, and turning to that side I perceived first 

 two large paws, then the long feelers, and then the enormous 

 nose of the lioness, crouched down in the attitude of springing. 



