12 A LION ENCOUNTER. Chap. I. 



thrown at him; then leaping away, broke through the opening 

 circle and escaped unhurt. The men were afraid to attack him, 

 perhaps on account of their belief in witchcraft. When the circle 

 was re-formed, we saw two other lions in it ; but we were afraid 

 to fire lest we should strike the men, and they allowed the beasts 

 to burst through also. If the Bakatla had acted according to 

 the custom of the country, they would have speared the lions in 

 their attempt to get out. Seeing we could not get them to kill 

 one of the lions, we bent our footsteps towards the village ; in 

 going round the end of the hill, however, I saw one of the beasts 

 sitting on a piece of rock as before, but this time he had a little 

 bush in front. Being about thirty yards off, I took a good aim 

 at Ins 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 

 did not see any one else shoot at him, but I saw the lion's tail 

 erected in anger behind 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 describe, 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 pecu- 

 liar state is probably produced in all animals killed by the 

 carnivora; and if so, is a merciful provision by our bene- 

 volent 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 



