cir. xv.] ENCOUNTER WITH LION. 257 



can easily penetrate to the brain when the head is carried low ; 

 whereas the brain, it is said, of the African elephant is as effectually 

 guarded on the forehead as elsewhere. This might be inferred 

 from a perusal of Gordon Cumming's exciting book. Murray 

 would not print many of the startling anecdotes related in the 

 manuscript, fearing they might throw discredit upon the work. 

 But it is, I think, to be regretted that he did not trust more to the 

 discernment of the public ; and to the strong internal evidence of 

 truthfulness afforded in the descriptions given of the habits of the 

 various beasts which the author had singular opportunities of 

 observing. 



463. The mention of Gordon Cumming's name, which is naturally 

 associated with feats of cool daring, leads one to speak of an old 

 fellow-sportsman of his at the Cape of Good Hope. Doubtless 

 there are men of whom it may be almost averred that they know 

 not the sensation of fear. Of this number was Gordon Cumming's 



friend Captain G. B. M e of the 45th. Alas ! we must say 



" was," for that brave heart has ceased to beat. 



464. Whilst quartered with his regiment at the Cape, M e 



took constant opportunities of encountering single-handed the real 

 lords of the forest in their own wild domain ; and numerous are 

 the stories told by his brother officers of his hair-breadth escapes. 

 Gordon Gumming and he often shot together ; and I have heard it 

 said that at a time when his left arm was so much injured as to be 

 perfectly useless, he went close up to a lion, which was standing 

 over Cumming's prostrate body, and with his right hand aiming at 

 the animal's heart made the Caffre boy behind him pull the deadly 

 trigger. And does not the little fellow's heroic conduct, who 

 placed such implicit confidence in his master's address and nerve, 

 claim much of our admiration ! 



465. M e's courage was reckless. Having more than once 



failed in getting a shot at a formidable lion which had committed 

 great ravages, and was reported to be of immense size, he deter- 

 mined upon tracking the beast to his rocky fastness, and forcing 

 him to a hand-to-hand combat in his very den. One morning a 

 recent spoor * enabled him to find the cave he sought, the entrance 

 of which was so contracted that in order not wholly to exclude the 

 light, he was compelled to lie down and crawl in upon his elbows. 

 Pushing the muzzle of his gun before him, slowly, inch by inch he 

 crept on, expecting every moment to see the large, glaring, cat-like 

 eye-balls, or to hear the menacing growl. His sight becoming more 

 accustomed to the gloom, he was enabled to scan every crevice, and 

 was satisfied that the master of the habitation could not have yet 

 returned from his nocturnal rambles. Bones of large size were 

 strewn about, as well as others whose suspicious appearance prompted 

 the involuntary reflection that the absent animal was in very 

 truth the dreaded " man-eater " who had so long baffled all pursuit. 



Impression of feet. 



