Growling Horribly Close To My Ear,
He Shook Me As A Terrier Dog Does A Rat.
The shock produced a stupor
similar to that which seems to be felt by a mouse after the first shake
of the cat.
It caused a sort of dreaminess, in which there was
no sense of pain nor feeling of terror, though quite conscious of all
that was happening. It was like what patients partially under
the influence of chloroform describe, who see all the operation,
but feel not the knife. This singular condition was not the result of any
mental process. The shake annihilated fear, and allowed no sense of horror
in looking round at the beast. This peculiar state is probably produced
in all animals killed by the carnivora; and if so, is a merciful provision
by our benevolent Creator for lessening the pain of death. Turning round
to relieve myself of the weight, as he had one paw on the back of my head,
I saw his eyes directed to Mebalwe, who was trying to shoot him
at a distance of ten or fifteen yards. His gun, a flint one,
missed fire in both barrels; the lion immediately left me,
and, attacking Mebalwe, bit his thigh. Another man, whose life
I had saved before, after he had been tossed by a buffalo,
attempted to spear the lion while he was biting Mebalwe.
He left Mebalwe and caught this man by the shoulder, but at that moment
the bullets he had received took effect, and he fell down dead.
The whole was the work of a few moments, and must have been
his paroxysms of dying rage.
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