THE LION. 
128 
mimosa grove, measuring the strength of his 
assailants with a port the most noble and im¬ 
posing. Disliking our appearance, however, and 
not relishing the smell of gunpowder, he soon 
abandoned the grove, and took up his position on 
the summit of an adjacent stony hill, the base of 
which being thickly clothed with thorn-trees, we 
could only obtain a view of him from the distance 
of three hundred yards. Crouched on this fortified 
pinnacle, like the sculptured figure at the entrance 
of a nobleman’s park, the enemy disdainfully sur¬ 
veyed us for several minutes, daring us to approach, 
with an air of conscious power and pride which 
well beseemed his grizzly form.’ As the rifle-balls 
struck the ground nearer and nearer at each dis¬ 
charge, his wrath, as indicated by his glistening 
eyes, increased roar, and impatient switching of 
his tail, was clearly getting the mastery over his 
prudence. Presently a shot broke his leg. Down 
he came upon the other three with reckless im¬ 
petuosity, his tail straight out and whirling on its 
axis, his mane bristling on end, and his eyeballs 
flashing rage and vengeance. Unable, however, 
to overtake our horses, he shortly retreated under 
a heavy fire, limping and discomfited, to his strong¬ 
hold. Again we bombarded him, and, again ex¬ 
asperated, he rushed into the plain with headlong 
fury, the blood now streaming from his open jaws, 
and dyeing his mane with crimson. It was a 
gallant charge, but it was to be his last. A well- 
directed shot arrested him in full career; he pitched 
upon his skull, and throwing a complete summer¬ 
sault, subsided amid a cloud of dust. 5 ’ 
