The Boy Soldier; Or, Garibaldi's Young Captain — page 314: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

> ~ Sno ss 308 THE BOY. SOLDIER; OR, GARIBALDI'’S YOUNG2CAPTAIN. | a gE ee and they walked their rounds, rifle! on shoulder, fearing no danger from ‘any quarter. “The two: ouards on this® oecasion’ were” none’ other than the heroes Master Dee ob PUREE, Buttons. °°" “ About midnight, shen all the lida were sound asleep, and the single camp’ fire’ burned ‘low, two" terrible growls were'heard near our tents. Ona 9 “So long and resounding Were they, ‘that at’ first I imagined it must be: the echoes of distant thunder, 2 .9bRToOrOD “But the peculiar éxpitedlionetng sound of power as well as of anger—which was commingledin Hikes dismal growls, aroused me. Grad, “T jumped to my feet, and seized a yifle?) 01! “JT hurried out, firmly convincedthat if was ‘an enemy far more formidable dene the French I had to encounter, DD Se, DMB 99ST **T stepped out towards the fire: t “Fatty and Buttons'were azezayeth theté dna with’ very long faces swore they “had” heard a yOune earthquake, «“ Aj] were sure of the sounds, but none could'tell in what direction they had proceeded, for it was im- possible to distinguish any object more than ‘two yards distant, for outside ‘the ‘cirele of the fire- light all was inky darkness: “This' uncertainty “as to” whence” ‘the | sadn proceeded, may be accounted for bysthe factmthat the lion always places: his mouthmear the ground: when about to roar, and thus produces a rolling sound, which rolling sound was loudly;echoed'and re-echoed by. the rocks and gullies near the river. ‘“T ordered’ the men’ to! form a’ ¢irdle;’ and fire several volleys in’all diréctions round the camp, “Tn addition ‘to this)\'each “man” piled’ a Targe number of sticks and branches onthe fire. | ES) ‘“When they were all’ ‘ablaze, each | one 'seiz da. flaming brand, and, ‘swaying | if, to “and. fro, thre w. them on all sides. “This display had the desired effect ; the animals must have been terrified by the fire, for they gaye’ us no further trouble that or the next night. ‘‘Thrée days afterwards, however, a terrible row was heard.a little way from our camp, and some of the Mexicans came’ running towards © us like madmen, ~ ~ “They had seen. the fonr-footed enemy. ) “ His majesty the Tion ‘had condescended to have a daylight interview with them. | “They had gone up the river about a tile or two to cut reeds with which to cover some log huts we had made, and were busy with their knives and sickles in the river ctittine down the reeds!'when, to their horrot, a huge lion rose up among the tall grass. almost close: beside them! *He leaped: upon the bank; and shiva buniied leisurely roundjand, hada long look atthe trembling camp followers, ‘One or two men»who had guns seized’ them im- mediately and began to load with: ball. “The vest, unarmed, stood almost petrified. Had the lion thought fit, "he could have: caused great destruction among them, “He was very civil, however ; or; to speak ‘more correctly, the lion was’ as muchi surprised as the Mexicans, “ After gazing’ at them for a moment he turned leisurely round, and then disappeared through the tall grass at a eood round trot, “The poor frightened Méxioans}'as T have said, did not stop to cut any more canes, but ran back fo camp as fast as their legs would let them, their hair standing on end with fright, ~ i We) were ‘not 4réubled for some’ tinve, but we knew that our encampment was approached” more than once’ by bot American lions, panthers and jaguars as well, . o o§'On one! ocaARIOgE a ion ania! iGHieas dmb suc: ceeded in carrying’: off somé of our horses, bub they ‘were discovered and fri ightened laway ‘by firébrands, ot is very Singular, but noless'true, that when he can get it the lion always prefers a horse to’an ox, and this conelusion was forced on my mind, for on ‘all ‘occasions ‘these* huge beasts’ seemed to pass cows and oxen; ‘and’ ‘always’ Bete theik steps’ vOwaNds ourhorses, S101! Yolioy T EID, SLI SISA O “But we soon had stiiting adventires. ois heotgiy “The first‘ actual encounter ‘that! cee ri6a wAbli a lion, took place in nity absénee from’ ‘Camp,’ but the détails were told info! by Hash Tracy as follows’ — © “While I was out several miles up thé’rivér, looking after the French; who! weré camped on’ the opposite side, ‘a °horsé ‘was missed" Which! paaansed to one of the lancers, dh A “6 Afte¥ Some 'séarch’ if “was ‘discovered by ‘the foat fnts't6 have been! killed. by some lien 200 The boldest among the Mexicans volunteered to aout: arid'do‘battle withthe monster.) 99)” SAT] onf'lads would have’ gladly’ gone’ rales bit their officers would not: permit’ more’ than®balf-a- dozen, for Hugh Tracy and Caspar‘said they didn’t: “café.to Have the: lads exposed: to ‘danger without a proper cause) and therefore detained ‘most of them in'oamp, allowing the Mexicans to do thé best they could for themselves. dj bas alow * Caspar, Hugh, the! Count, and Batons went, ‘butno others.) O21. 06 “ac* After'a long: seardh the: “footpriats at | ithe 1a were traced® to’ a Seelided sjs08: about a mile from where he had seized his prey. Ov ,D&l 3% ‘“siehad. carried it with him: to® ‘deboar sal his leisute, 8 is'the ‘practice of this powerful animal, © At the approach ofthe hunters; the lion, after some little demur, retreated toa small thicket in a | shallow'ravine at nolcreat distanee:0) % jvod! «“* The Mexicans followed -élosély,* and,’ having taketfi up la°position on “acheight. adjoining the ravifie, poured! volley after volley into the plese »©< This bombardment-produced noeffect.! 99 *“« The lion kept under cover) and aenost toe | battles « 4 When» the» Mexicans gent their bloodkotads into the ravine in search of sbim, he quickly drove: them back witha savage grow); and laid-several of them dead at his feet; with: asttays die of his ponderous paw. pont Si oT * * But the count, feeling Sustased ati the timor- ousness) of thie. Mexicans; whor did: little else: but. shout and yell, descended: into; the: rayine alone. © | ‘“©The lads begged of -himynot to:rda son oxo) “«But the count, was stubborn,: and would! have his own way, regardless of all consequences. |.) ““He gaily, descended into the ravine, | but: Cas/ | par; Hugh and, Buttons- followed) close behind, leaying the, Mexicans’ still high ee the: Hooks above; yelling like furieses.) 1 doud ‘§¢Phe,old count had for prohtien: to. leave. in camp a favourite little dog, and the faithful Epbual fall lowed closely at his heels, barking. 2) ‘“«The count threw several stones at the cavern wherein he supposed the lion tio lie hidden, andione of them striking the-enraged animal he \ oueved forth with a) terrible growl, andyapproached the count before he was aware of his-vicinity.. “Phe miowenit was’ a crreicnt ene for the old cont. 2 he “* He was alee 80 rate by surprise, that the huge beast was upon him before he was aware of it, Gomicbooks com