120 



DEFENCE AGAINST ANIMALS OF 



second time, craunched it as before, and fractured 

 ' the bone still higher up. This additional memento 

 mori from the lion was not lost upon Captain Wood- 

 house ; it immediately put him in mind that he had 

 committed an act of imprudence in stirring. The 

 motionless state in which he persevered after this 

 broad hint, showed that he had learned to profit by 

 the painful lesson. 



He now lay bleeding and disabled under the foot 

 of a mighty and an irritated enemy. Death was 

 close upon him, armed with every terror calculated 

 to appal the heart of a prostrate and defenceless 

 man. Just as this world, with all its flitting honours, 

 was on the point of vanishing for ever, he heard two 

 faint reports of a gun, which he thought sounded 

 from a distance ; but he was totally at a loss to 

 account for them. He learned, after the affair was 

 over, that the reports were caused by his friend at 

 the outside of the jungle, who had flashed off some 

 powder in order to be quite sure that the nipples of 

 his rifle were clean. 



The two lieutenants were now hastening to his 

 assistance, and he heard the welcome sound of feet 

 approaching ; but, unfortunately, they were in a 

 wrong direction, as the lion was betwixt them and 

 him. Aware that if his friends fired, the balls 

 would hit him, after they had passed through the 

 lion's body, Captain Woodhouse quietly pronounced, 

 in a low and subdued tone, to the other side ! to 

 the other side I" Hearing the voice, they looked 

 in the direction from whence it proceeded, and to 

 their horror saw their brave comrade in his utmost 



