Page:The Lion.djvu/14

 No sooner was this formidable foe thus disposed of, than a second, equally terrible, made its appearance. It was a Lioness.

The officer fired again, and wounded her so dangerously, that she retreated to the jungle.

The officer followed, and soon traced her to her den. There the brave mother tried to defend her young ones—but in vain. Another shot from the officer's rifle soon stretched her dead.

The cubs were only a few days old. These the officer and his servants brought away with them.

By the assistance of a goat, which was prevailed on to act as foster-mother to the royal pair, the officer succeeded in rearing them till they were old enough and strong enough to bear the voyage to England, where they were kept for many years.