THE FELINE AND CANINE TRIBES. 491 



attacked by animals of the canine tribe ; and I will conclude with 

 recounting an adventure with a lion, perhaps unparalleled in the annals 

 of hunting. Towards the close of the year 1823, in passing over a 

 common, I accidentally came upon two dogs. One of them was a 

 stout, ill-looking, uncouth brute, apparently of that genealogy which 

 dog-fanciers term half-bull and half-terrier ; the other was an insigni- 

 ficant female cur. The dog immediately bristled up ; and I had just 

 time to take off my hat and hold it shieldwise in self-defence, when 

 he came on and made directly at it. I gave him a hearty kick under 

 the breast, which caused him to desist for a moment. But he stoutly 

 renewed the attack, which was continued for above five minutes ; he 

 always flying at the hat, and I regularly repeating my kicks, some- 

 times slightly, sometimes heavily, according to our relative situations. 

 In the meantime, the female cur was assailing me from behind ; and 

 it was with difficulty that I succeeded in keeping her clear of me, by 

 means of swinging my foot backwards at her. At last, a lucky blow 

 on her muzzle from the heel of my shoe caused her to run away 

 howling, and the dog immediately followed her, just at the moment 

 when two masons were coming up to assist me. Thus, by a resolute 

 opposition, I escaped laceration. But this little affair is scarcely worth 

 relating, except that it affords a proof of the advantage to be derived 

 from resisting the attack of a dog to the utmost. 



And now for the feline tribe./ The story which I am about to re- 

 count will show that non-resistance was the only plan to be pursued 

 when escape from 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-Main 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 related it to me. I re- 

 peatedly 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 



