CROUCHING IN THE COVER. 
183 
“ Strange to say, we had hardly proceeded one 
hundred yards, when two fine lions, young males, 
but full grown, rose close before us, and one of 
them fell instantly under the fire from the howdah. 
“ The other lion fled, and was for some time lost; 
but being at length viewed by some of the men 
posted in the trees, and signalled as far ahead, I 
left the elephant, and, accompanied by Woodhouse^ 
galloped in the direction pointed out. The in¬ 
telligence, however, proved false, and the alarm 
being soon after given in another quarter, we forth¬ 
with proceeded towards the spot indicated. 
cc It so chanced that whilst we were winding 
our way, as best we could, through the jungle, I 
passed near the place where his Majesty had 
established himself, and he immediately took after 
me in the most vicious manner, and from the thick¬ 
ness of the cover and the broken nature of the 
ground, I had the greatest possible difficulty in 
evading him. At one time, indeed, he was not 
more than ten or twelve paces from me. 
c< He was now lost for a considerable time, per¬ 
haps two hours, during which, as the wood was 
dense, Woodhouse and I, having mounted the 
elephant, had searched everywhere for him, 
t£ At last he was discovered at the extreme end 
of the cover crouched close under a e peloo-bush,’ 
and, apparently, quite ready for business. This 
was soon verified, for, on being fired at, he in¬ 
stantly charged, and planted himself on the head of 
our elephant. From this elevated position, however, 
he, after receiving our fire, was soon shaken off by 
