with him, and then
fell asleep. The carpenter, fully trusting to the vigilance of the
keeper, pursued his work, and when he had finished, called to him to
inspect what he had done. The man made no answer; the carpenter called
again and again, but to no purpose, and, being alarmed, went to the
upper part of the den, and looked through the railing. Seeing the lion
and his keeper sleeping side by side, he uttered a loud cry. The lion
suddenly awakened, started up, looked furiously at the carpenter, and
placing his paw on the breast of his keeper, lay down to sleep again.
The carpenter was dreadfully frightened, and ran out, telling what he
had seen. Some of the attendants went and opened the door which the
carpenter had secured with several bars, and contrived to wake the
keeper; who, on opening his eyes, did not appear to be in the least
frightened at his situation. He took the paw of the lion, shook it, and
quietly led him down to the lower part of his residence.

It is from Mr. Pringle and Mr. Gordon Cumming that we derive the most
stirring adventures with lions; and I profit by the advantage afforded
me by their pages. The first was a relation of mine by marriage, and I
have enjoyed frequent conversations with him concerning his travels;
rendered the more extraordinary by his lameness, which proved the energy
of that mind which could thus surmount bodily infirmity.

Mr. Cumming still lives to tell his own tales; and no one can hear or
read his words without seeing that he has one of those ardent spirits
which loves danger for the sake of danger, and that his indomitable
courage and hardihood, from his early years, when he killed the deer on
his father's domains, prepared him to be what he now is, the most
successful of all men in his warfare with wild animals.

In a note to the "Poetical Remains of Mr. Pringle," I find the following
remarkable escape:--"Lucas Van Buren usually carried a huge elephant
gun, as long and unwieldy as himself; but left it at home one day when
he had most need of it. He was riding across the open plains, near the
Little Fish river, one morning about day break, when observing a lion at
a distance, he endeavoured to avoid him by making a circuit. There were
thousands of spring-bocks scattered over the extensive flats; but from
the open nature of the country, the lion had probably been unsuccessful
in his hunting. Lucas soon perceived that he was not disposed to let
_him_ pass without further