DEFENCE OF CUBS. 
87 
nothing; the third night, however, at an early hour, 
the mother, accompanied by her cubs, which were 
pretty well grown, made her appearance. 
£fi One of the cubs had already scented the pros¬ 
trate horse, which was lying, belly upwards, in the 
bed of the ravine, and at once made up to the car¬ 
case. The mother had couched, and was watching 
its proceedings, and, whilst looking about her on all 
sides, perceived me. Our eyes had hardly met, 
however, when, with a bound, she threw herself on 
her cub, as if about to devour it. The poor creature 
at once took to flight, and nothing remained before 
me but the horse. 
££ A novice would have said to himself, c Why did 
I not fire ? ? and would have considered the game as 
lost. I knew that the game was not yet played, 
and that it would not be easy to w r in it. 
££ Suddenly, to my left, and almost behind me, I 
heard a noise as of a mouse rustling amongst the 
bushes; and, directing my attention to that side, X 
first perceived two great paws, then a long mous¬ 
tache, and, finally, an enormous nose. 
a The gun was to the shoulder, the finger to the 
trigger; and at the instant that the eyes, fixed and 
flashing, became visible, an ingot of iron departed 
and did its work.” 
Tt is said that, should the lion, in making 
his spring at a deer or other animal, fall short 
of or pass over the victim, as not unfrequently 
happens, he usually gives up further pursuit, and 
returns sulkily, growling, to his ambush, there 
to lie in wait for another opportunity. 
