122 DIVISION I. vei;tei;i:al axijials. — class i. mammalia. 



attracted my aftcnliini, nml I liastciicd towards the door; Imt niy astnnisli- 

 lucnt may well be conecivcd, when I i'ouiid the entrance to it barred in 

 such a way. Although the animal had not seen nic, unarmed as I >vas, 

 escape seemed impossible ; yet I glided gently, scarcely knowing what I 

 meant to do, to the side of the house, up to the ^\indow of m\- chamber, 

 where I knew my loaded gun was standing. By a most hajipy chance 1 

 had set it into the corner close by the window, so that I voiM i-each it with 

 my hand, tor, as you may perceive, the opening was too small to admit of 

 my having got in ; and, still more fortnnatclj-, the door of the room was 

 open, so that I could see the whole danger of the scene. The lion was 

 beginning to move, [)erhaps Avith the intention of making a spring. There 

 was no longer any time to think : I called softly to the mother not to be 

 alarmed, and, invoking the name of (he Lord, fired mj' piece. The ball 

 passed directly over (lie hair of my boy's head, and lodged in the forehead 

 of the lion, immediately above his eyes, which shot forth, as it were, sj^'ii'l^s 

 of lire, and stretched him on the ground, so that lie never stirred more.' 

 Indeed we all shuddered as we listened to this relation. Xever, as he him- 

 self obsi'rx'cd, was a more daring attempt hazarded. Had he failed in his 

 aim, motlicr and children were inevitably lost ; if the boy laul moved, he 

 had been struck; the least turn in the lion, and the shot had not been mor- 

 tal to him. To ha\e taken an aim at him without, was iiu[)ossible ; while 

 the shadow of any one advancing, in the bright sun, ■would have betrayctl 

 him; to eonstnnmato the whole, the head of the creature was in sonic sort 

 protected by the door-jiost." 



Tiiio 1'i:i;f()!;.aiin(! Liux. — V\'c ha\c ficcn recently a performing lion, 

 vvhicli exhibited great intelligence, and went through his parts in a very 

 graceful manner. The lion alluded to, after being pulled about, and made 

 to show his teeth, I'Cic., was rcipiii-cd to exhibit. 'J'wo young men, in i'ancy 

 dresses, entered the spacious cage, and in the mean time the limi, apparent- 

 ly aware of what he had to do, walked composedly round. He was now 

 made to jtmip over a rope, held at diiferent heights ; next through a hoop 

 and a barrel, and again through the same co\ered with paper. All this he 

 did freely, compressing himself to go through the narrow space, and alight- 

 ing gracefully. His next feat was to re])cat the leaps through the hoop and 

 bai'rcl with tlie pajicr set on lire. This he evidently di.-likcd, but a\ iili some 

 Coaxing went through each. The animals were now all fed, but the lion 

 had not yet completed his share in the night's entertainment, and was 

 required to show his forljcarance l.iy parting with his food. The keeper 

 entered the cage and took it repeatedly from him, no further resistance than 

 a short clutch and growl was expressed ; his countenance had, however, 

 lost its serenity, and how long his good temper would have continued is 



