MAMMALIA—LION. 171 
large evergreen bush, with a small space of open ground on one side of it; 
and they fancied, un approaching, that they saw him distinctly lying glaring 
at them from beneath the foliage. Charging the Bastuards to stand firm 
and level fair, should they miss, the Scottish champions let fly together, and 
struck, not the lion, as it afterwards proved, but a great block of red stone, 
beyond which he was actually lying. Whether any of the shot grazed him 
is uncertain, but, with no other warning than a furious growl, forth he 
bolted from the bush. The pusillanimous Bastuards, in place of now pouring 
no their volley upon him, instantly turned and fled helter-skelter, leaving him 
to do his pleasure upon the defenceless Scots ; who, with empty guns, were 
tumbling over each other, in their hurry to escape the clutch of the rampant 
savage. In a twinkling he was upon them, and with one stroke of his paw 
dashed the nearest to the ground. The scene was terrific! There stood 
the lion with his paw upon his prostrate foe, looking round in conscious 
power and pride upon the bands of his assailants, and with a port the most 
noble and imposing that can be conceived. It was the most magnificent 
thing I ever witnessed. The danger of our friends, however, rendered it at 
the moment too terrible to enjoy either the grand or the ludicrous part of 
the picture. We expected every instant to see one or more of them torn 
in pieces ; nor, though the rest of the party were standing within fifty paces 
with their guns cocked and levelled, durst we fire for their assistance. One 
was lying under the lion’s paw, and the others scrambling towards us in 
such a way as to intercept our aim at him... All this passed far more rapid- 
ly than I have described it. But luckily, the lion, after steadily surveying 
us for a few seconds, seemed willing to be quits with us on fair terms; and 
with a fortunate forbearance, (for which he met but an ungrateful recom- 
pense,) turned calmly away, and driving the ‘snarling dogs like rats from 
among his heels, bounded over the adjoining thicket, like a cat over a foot- 
stool, clearing brakes and bushes twelve or fifteen feet high, as readily as 
if they had been tufts of grass, and, abandoning the jungle, retreated 
towards the mountains. 
“After ascertaining the state of our rescued comrade, (who fortunately 
had sustained no other injury than a slight scratch on the back, and a severe 
bruise in the ribs, from the force with which the animal had dashed him te 
the ground,) we renewed the chase with Hottentots and hounds in full @ y. 
In a short time we again came up with the enemy, and found him standing 
at bay under an old mimosa tree, by the side of a mountain stream, which 
we had distinguished by the name of Douglas water. The dogs were bark» 
mg round, but afraid to approach him, for he was now beginning to grow] 
fiercely, and to brandish his tail in a manner that showed he was meditating 
mischief. The Hottentots, by taking a circuit between him and the moun- 
tain, crossed the stream, and took a position on the top of a precipice 
overlooking the spot where he stood. Another party of us occupied a posi- 
tion on the other side of the glen; and placing the poor fellow thus between 
