THE FELINE AND CANINE TRIBES. 113 



former, would inevitably expose him to certain de- 

 struction from the claws and teeth of the latter. 



All animals of the dog tribe must be combated 

 with might and main, and with unceasing exertion, 

 in their attacks upon man : for, from the moment 

 they obtain the mastery, they worry and tear their 

 victim as long as life remains in it. On the con- 

 trary, animals of the cat tribe having once over- 

 come their prey, they cease for a certain time to 

 inflict further injury on it. Thus, during the mo- 

 mentous interval from the stroke which has laid a 

 man beneath a lion, to the time when the lion shall 

 begin to devour him, the man may have it in his 

 power to rise again, either by his own exertions, or 

 by the fortuitous intervention of an armed friend. 

 But then all depends upon quiet, extreme quiet, on 

 the part of the man, until he plunges his dagger 

 into the heart of the animal ; for if he tries to re- 

 sist, he is sure to feel the force of his adversary's 

 claws and teeth with redoubled vengeance. Many 

 years ago, Colonel Duff, in India, was laid low by 

 the stroke of a Bengal tiger. On coming to him- 

 self he found the animal standing over him. Re- 

 collecting that he had his dirk by his side, he drew 

 it out of the case in the most cautious manner pos- 

 sible, and by one happy thrust quite through the 

 heart, he laid the tiger dead at his side. 



I will here mention a trivial row I once had with 

 two dogs. It will tend to prove the advantage of 

 standing up manfully when attacked by animals of 

 the canine tribe ; and I will conclude with recount- 



