68 
TEE LION. 
and in the very place where we now stand,” said 
Van Wyk, the Dutch colonist, to Professor Lich¬ 
tenstein, cc that I ventured to take one of the most 
daring shots that ever w r as hazarded ; my wife was 
sitting w T ithin the house near the door, the children 
were playing about her; and I was without, near 
to the house, busied in doing something to a waggon, 
when suddenly, though it was mid-day, an enor¬ 
mous lion appeared, came up and laid himself 
down in the shade, upon the very threshold of the 
door. My wife, either frozen with fear, or aware of 
the danger of any attempt to by, remained motion¬ 
less in her place, while the children took refuge in 
her lap. The cry they uttered attracted my atten¬ 
tion, and I hastened towards the door; but my 
astonishment may well be conceived when I found 
the entrance to it barred in such a way. Although 
the animal had not seen me, unarmed as 1 was, 
escape seemed almost impossible, yet I glided 
gently, scarcely knowing what I meant to do, to 
the side of the house, up to the window of my 
chamber, where I knew my loaded gun was stand¬ 
ing. By a most happy chance I had set it in the 
corner close by the window, so that I could reach 
it with my hand; for, as you perceive, the opening 
is too small to admit of my having got in ; and still 
more fortunately the door of the room was open, 
so that I could see the whole danger of the scene. 
The lion was beginning to move, perhaps with 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 the 
