THE FELINE AND CANINE TRIBES. 115 



death seemed utterly hopeless. The principals in 

 this affair were a brave young British officer and a 

 full-grown lion of India. I was at Frankfort on the 

 Mayne in August last, and I heard the account 

 from the officer's own mouth. I shall never forget 

 the affable and unassuming manner in which he re- 

 lated it to me. I repeatedly urged him to allow me 

 to put it on record, and at the same time to make 

 use of his name ; but I plainly saw that his feelings 

 were against his complying with my request; and I 

 think I should not have succeeded, had I not luckily 

 brought to my assistance the plea of benefit to 

 natural history. With this I conquered the objec- 

 tions of the young soldier ; and I only wish that it 

 had fallen to an abler pen than mine to relate the 

 following adventure. 



In the month of July, 1831, two fine lions made 

 their appearance in a jungle some twenty miles 

 distant from the cantonment of Rajcote, in the East 

 Indies, where Captain Woodhouse, and his two 

 friends, Lieutenants Delamain and Lang, were sta- 

 tioned. An elephant was despatched to the place 

 in the evening on which the information arrived ; 

 and on the morrow, at the break of day, the three 

 gentlemen set off on horseback, full of glee, and 

 elated with the hope of a speedy engagement. On 

 arriving at the edge of the jungle, people were 

 ordered to ascend the neighbouring trees, that they 

 might be able to trace the route of the lions in case 

 they left the cover. After beating about in the 

 jungle for some time, the hunters started the two 

 i 2 



