The Lion 107 



the latter having been recently shaken by wounds 

 received from a royal tiger, turned tail, and regularly 

 bolted. In the scurry through the jungle, one of the 

 guns, having been caught by a tree, fell from the howdah 

 and was broken, a loss, as the sequel proved, that might 

 have been attended with very disastrous consequences." 



But the lion soon gave up the chase, and retraced his 

 steps to the patch whence he had been started. Here 

 he was followed by Captain Harris alone, Delamaine's 

 elephant, from its late fright, having become too unsteady 

 to be taken into thick cover. 



" The Captain soon found and fired at the beast, which 

 in its turn instantly sprang at, and made a fair lodgment 

 on the head of his elephant, but the latter being a large 

 and powerful animal, and accustomed to the chasse, almost 

 immediately shook off its fierce assailant, who fell with 

 violence on the ground." This desperate mode of attack 

 and reprisal was on both sides repeated in more than one 

 instance, and this, moreover, within view of his companion, 

 who, though prevented — for the reason mentioned — 

 from taking part in the conflict, was, from the outside 

 of the brake, intently watching the proceedings of his 

 friend. After a time, whether because he left the patch, 

 or from having concealed himself, the beast was no longer 

 to be found. 



" It was at the period of the monsoon, and just as the 

 hunters were at fault, there came on a heavy shower of 

 rain, when, principally for the sake of the guns, it was 

 deemed best to retire for shelter to some trees in the 

 more open country at a few hundred paces distance. 



