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culated to render the rashness of the undertaking the prevailing feeling. Hour after hour passed away in the most painful kind of suspense. Midnight arrived, and not long afterwards, a distant rustling among the bushes was distinctly heard. By degrees the sound became plainer and plainer; there was now no mistaking the approach of the enemy, and a few minutes would decide the business. The sounds ceased; and while wondering whether the tiger had, upon second thoughts, retreated, our friend, upon looking up, distinctly saw the royal beast standing close to the head of the cow, the body of the animal only intervening between them. It was a moment of utter dismay. The tiger had commenced his repast, and, with the desperate determination produced by the fearfulness of the occasion, the gun was brought up and fired. The tiger did not drop. A neverto-be-forgotten roar and a charge of indomitable fierceness followed. The tiger fortunately rushed past, blundering onwards in aimless fury. Sufficient presence of mind to fire again under such circumstances was not in human nature; and the villager, still less accustomed to so dreadful a predicament, grasped the arm of the sportsman in the terror of the moment, and thus added to his embarrassment. After the tiger had rushed forward for a short distance, the welcome sound of his fall was heard, succeeded by

heavy groans. These indications gave very satisfactory assurances of his impending fate; but caution was still necessary.

After allowing a sufficient time for the tiger either to make off or to expire in peace, the attendants were directed to rouse the village, and in the interim the rifle was again re-loaded in case of the worst. The villagers were soon assembled with their lighted torches; but for some time their search proved ineffectual. In fact, the chief actor in the scene began to imagine that he had missed his aim, or that the whole had been nothing more than an apparition conjured up by the excited state of his mind. Believing that the tiger had not been wounded at all, and had made good his retreat, the villagers, who had been somewhat fearful of searching too minutely before, growing bolder, looked more narrowly around them. A shout of joy was soon after heard. The tiger was discovered dead. A hearty huzza followed, in which the natives, though unaccustomed to the European mode of cheering, joined with all their lungs. The tiger proved to be the identical monster so long sought. The ball had gone clean through the centre of the stomach; and it was subject of surprise how he had been able to reach the place where he was found. The manner in which this and the Kalingur tiger met their deaths, and the arm that laid them low, are well known in Bengal.

CHAPTER VIII.

HOW THE ARABS ATTACK A LION-GERARD'S SECOND LION-MOFFAT'S LION ADVENTURES-A SENTRY SEIZED BY A LION -A LION ENCOUNTER-DEATH OF HENDRICH.

He

adult, he knows the meaning of
this noise, which wakes him, and
he rises slowly, yawning and
stretching his limbs, rubbing his
sides against the trees, and shak-
ing his majestic mane.
listens; and the approaching
cries cause him to sharpen his
claws, with certain premonitory
growls. He then stalks slowly
towards the first ledge of rock
which commands the country,
and espying his enemies from
this height, he crouches and
awaits.

THE lion of Northern Africa can | him down upon them like a never be called a coward; he is thunderbolt. If the lion is an ever ready to attack an enemy, and the sight of one rouses him to instant fury; he will even attack a whole tribe of armed Arabs, and often scatters them to the winds. No Arab thinks of attacking a lion unless supported by at least twenty muskets; and even then, if they succeed in killing him, it is not until he has committed serious damage in their ranks. For a long while they will suffer a lion to devastate their douars, and carry off their cattle in helpless resignation. It is not until their losses have driven them to desperation that they resolve on attacking him in his lair, and then they always choose the day-time. Having ascertained his lair, and having decided in full conclave that the attack is to be made, they assemble at the foot of the mountain, and in groups of thirty or forty march towards the lair, shouting at the top of their lungs. On hearing the noise, the lion, if young, at once quits his lair; the lioness does the same, unless she have her young with her. But as he does not fly, he is soon in sight, and a discharge of musketry brings

The Arab who first sees him cries, 'There he is!' and deathlike stillness succeeds. They pause to contemplate him, and look well to their arms, while the lion slowly licks his paws and mane, thus making his toilette de combat. After a long pause, an Arab advances in front of the group, and in a tone of defiance, shouts, "Thou knowest us not, then, that thus thou liest before us? Rise and fly; for we belong to such a tribe, and I am Abdallah!' The lion, who has before this eaten more than one warrior who apostrophized him in precisely the same terms, continues passing his enormous paws over his face,

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Ravenscroft and Forbes, armed only with spears, as they expected to kill swine. We soon reached the Nullah, the banks of which, high and steep, intersected by smaller branches, were covered with grass and brushwood; to this we applied fire where the track entered, and then took our stations on foot; Mortimer on the right bank nearest the fire, Reeves on the left bank, myself also on the left, with a broad deep branch and two or three gullies between

us.

There was not much wind, and the grass being green, the fire did not come down rapidly. After waiting some time, a shot, answered by a loud roar, announced the presence of our prey. This was from Mortimer. As she passed Reeves, she got the contents of two barrels, and came on roaring furiously, evidently hard hit, and turned into the deep branch between Reeves and me. My station commanded the entrance to this, between thirty and forty yards distant; and as she came out after a short time, and for a moment stood still, I let fly right and left, and back she went. I reloaded as quickly as possible. On receiving another shot, she came towards my position, and as she passed under me, I fired the other barrel into her. I then supposed she would get into a deep little gully immediately on my right, so I went to the rear, mounted my horse, and drew near all ready. Low growls or rather moans were all

that was now to be heard, and after some time all was silent. Ravenscroft shot into some brushwood near where I had last seen her, but there was no growl of defiance in answer, and he narrowly escaped a serious accident. He had fired from off his horse, and in reloading, cast the butt of his gun over on his left foot; he was on the point of putting in the powder, when the other barrel went off, two balls passing his face without injury.

'We now tried to light the grass above and below where she was supposed to be, but it would not burn well; there were some dry thorns near the top of the gully, which cracked famously, and this was not more than twenty yards long. Still nothing was heard or seen of the enemy, and we all began to be impatient, and of the opinion that she was dead. Seeing a native with a drawn sword going towards this gully, I got off my horse and accompanied him, wishing to look into it if possible, and expecting to see her dead at the bottom. It was some twelve or fifteen feet deep, and the banks, nearly perpendicular, had long grass and brushwood growing thickly up them. By bending this on either side with the muzzle of my gun, I was enabled to see into it tolerably well, and was on the point of giving it up, when my eye caught sight of a patch of her yellow hide. It was no use firing, as I could not tell whether it was

her head or her tail; but before I could make out a mortal spot to aim at, she was up and scaling the bank, roaring furiously. The native made off as fast as his legs would permit him. As she pushed on, I fired into her. But still on she came; and as she gained the top, I aimed at her breast. You may conceive my feelings when she dashed my gun aside with her paw as I pulled the trigger; the contents flew harmless. She seized my Joe Manton-which fortunately is not injured, though it will always bear her mark-just above the locks. I now turned to run for it; and then Reeves proved himself to be the friend in need he was standing on the opposite bank of the deep branch before mentioned, full thirty yards from me: ere I had gained five paces, she sprang upon me. Until I had turned, my body was between Reeves and her; and in the short space thus allowed him, he fired both barrels, both taking effect. One striking her in the spine, caused instant death. I, of course, was underneath her; she was very heavy; and as I struggled, it came across me to lie still; but finding I rather freed myself, I worked on and gained my legs, just as Ravenscroft came running to my rescue, who, by way of a settler, put a ball into her head. And there she lay, a fine four year old tigress, with my hunting-cap in her mouth. Only one of her teeth reached my head, and that but very slightly at

the back; in fact, I may say that I escaped unhurt, having only one rather deep claw on my left fore-arm, and merely the skin raised by her claws on the back of my left shoulder.'

A FINE SPECIMEN OF COURAGE.

At Agoada, near Goa, in the month of March 1809, early one morning, a report was received at the cantonments, that a large tiger had been seen on the rocks near the sea. About nine o'clock, a number of officers and men assembled at the spot where it was said to have been seen; when, after some search, the animal was discovered to be in the recess of an immense rock. Dogs were sent in, in the hopes of starting him, but without effect, they having returned with several wounds. Lieutenant Evan Davis, of the 7th regiment, attempted to enter the den, but was obliged to return, finding the passage extremely narrow and dark. He, however, attempted it a second time with a pickaxe in his hand, with which he removed some obstructions that were in the way; and having proceeded a few yards, he heard a noise, which he conceived to be that of the animal in question. He then returned, and communicated this to Lieutenant Threw, of the artillery, who also went in the same distance, and was of a similar opinion. What course to pursue was doubtful ; some proposed to blow up the

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