A LION-ENCOUNTER. 21 



he had a little bush in front. Being about thirty yards off, 

 I took a good aim at his body through the bush, and fired 

 both barrels into it. The men then called out, "He is shot! 

 he is shot!" Others cried, "He has been shot by another 

 man too ; let us go to him I" I did not see any one else 

 shoot at him, but I saw the lion's tail erected in anger be- 

 hind the bush, and, turning to the people, said, "Stop a 

 little, till I load again." When in the act of ramming 

 down the bullets, I heard a shout. Starting, and looking 

 half round, I saw the lion just in the act of springing upon 

 me. I was upon a little height; he caught my shoulder as 

 he sprang, and we both came to the ground below together. 

 Growling horribly close to my ear, he shook me as a terrier 

 dog does a rat. The shock produced a stupor similar to 

 that which seems to be felt by a mouse after the first shake 

 of the cat. It caused a sort of dreaminess, in which there 

 was no sense of pain nor feeling of terror, though quite 

 conscious of all that was happening. It was like what 

 patients partially under the influence of chloroform de- 

 scribe, who see all the operation, but feel not the knife. 

 This singular condition was not the result of any mental 

 process. The shake annihilated fear, and allowed no sense 

 of horror in looking round at the beast. This peculiar 

 state is probably produced in all animals killed by the car- 

 nivora, and, if so, is a merciful provision by our benevolent 

 Creator for lessening the pain of death. Turning round 

 to relieve myself of the weight, as he had one paw on the 

 back of my head, I saw his eyes directed to Mebalwe, who 

 was trying to shoot him at a distance of ten or fifteen 

 yards. His gun, a flint one, missed fire in both barrels; 

 the lion immediately left me, and, attacking Mebalwe, bit 

 his thigh. Another man, whose life I had saved before,, 

 after he had been tossed by a buffalo, attempted to spear 

 the lion while he was biting Mebalwe. He left Mebalwe 

 and caught this man by the shoulder, but at that moment 

 the bullets J*e had received took effect, and he fell down 

 dead. T/ 1 yhole was the work of a few moments, and 



