LI QN AND DOGS. 
211 
a few yards from him, most of us being on foot and 
unarmed, without any visible possibility of escaping. 
I had given up my horse to the hunters, and was on 
foot myself, but there was no time for fear, and it 
was useless to attempt avoiding him. Poor Truy 
was in great alarm; she clasped her infant to her 
bosom, and screamed out as if she thought her de¬ 
struction inevitable, calling to those who were near¬ 
est the animal, c Take care ! take care !’ In great 
fear for my safety, she had insisted on my moving 
farther off. I, however, stood well upon my guard, 
holding my pistols in my hand, with my finger upon 
the trigger, and those who had muskets kept them¬ 
selves prepared in the same manner. But at this 
instant the dogs boldly flew in between us and the 
lion, and, surrounding him, kept him at bay by their 
violent and resolute barking. The courage of those 
faithful animals was most admirable; they advanced 
up to the side of the huge beast, and stood, making 
the greatest clamours in his face, without the least ap¬ 
pearance of fear. The lion, conscious of his strength, 
remained unmoved at their noisy attempts, and kept 
his head turned towards us. At one moment the dogs, 
perceiving his eye thus engaged, had advanced close 
to his feet, and seemed as if they would actually seize 
hold of him ; but they paid dearly for their impru¬ 
dence, for, without discomposing the majestic and 
steady attitude in which he stood fixed, he merely 
moved his paw, and, at the next instant, I beheld 
two lying dead. In doing this he made so little 
exertion, that it was scarcely perceptible by what 
means thev had been killed. Of the time which we 
•j 
p 2 
