220 THE LION AND OTHER BEASTS OF PREY 



is of a most amiable and affectionate disposition. In default of any 

 companion of his own kind he takes to human beings, roaring when 

 his attendant goes away to fetch his meat, of which he consumes 

 about twenty pounds daily. A hedgehog was once put into his cage 

 to beguile his loneliness, but it pricked his nose, and he, therefore, 

 very naturally objected to it. Then a tortoise was tried, and this 

 experiment succeeded better. He played with it as a kitten plays 

 with a ball, turning it over and over with his paw, and the tortoise 

 had the sense to keep its head well inside its shell. He plays like 

 a kitten, too, with a bell hung from the top of his cage for his enter- 

 tainment. 



An artist had permission to paint his portrait, and he soon got 

 very much attached to him. He scratched his head and tickled his 

 nose, which pleased him, and in the end they became such friends 

 that he startled the whole neighborhood with his roars when the 

 artist left him. The first time he came to paint Goma, he sat down 

 opposite the bars, with his paws crossed over his chest, and watched 

 him intently. The artist tried to paint him in this attitude, but he 

 would not continue it. The attitude chosen finally was his monotonous 

 march to and fro in his cage. He took an interest in his picture 

 to the last, but I doubt if his criticism was altogether favorable. 

 There was one person against whom he had a spite — one of the 

 king's splendid cuirassiers or guards, who would wander around in an 

 amiable way and sit down opposite the cage with a newspajicr. Goma 

 would crouch, waiting till the man moved, when he would spring — 

 "'•ainlv — against the Ixars of his cage. Xothing would induce him to 

 crust that man, with the 1)lack moustache and suave manners, for 

 doubtless he had tormented the poor caged beast on the sly. 



At the end of the season, the queen gave a select garden-party 

 "to meet Goma," who was gracious to the guests, but forgot to 

 modulate his voice, and conversed so loudly that they turned and fled. 



Hov^^ A Lion Reasoned. — The following interesting story 

 shows how a man with his superior powers of mind and courage can 

 master even the king of beasts. 



Diederik ]\Iuller. one of the most intrepid and successful of 

 modern lion-hunter? in South Africa, had been out alone hunting in 



