THE LION A BENEFACTOR. 231 



viz., he acts as their provider; for, watching the 

 movements of the beast, they are frequently enabled, 

 as it is said, to possess themselves of such portions of 

 his victim as he may not have had time or inclination 

 to devour, or, it may be, of the carcase whilst still 

 intact. 



On a certain occasion, I myself was an eye- 

 witness to an act of this description. 



Returning somewhat late one very dark night 

 from Mr. Rath's house to our encampment, I was 

 suddenly startled by sounds of the most painful 

 description, not unlike the stifled groanings of a 

 person who is on the point of drowning. It at once 

 struck me that the lions had surprised some unfor- 

 tunate native whilst lying in ambush near the water 

 for wild animals that came there to drink. Whilst 

 listening in anxious suspense to the wailings in 

 question which gradually became more and more 

 faint there reached me from another quarter a 

 confused sound of human voices and of hurried 

 footsteps. This only tended to confirm my first 

 impression; but, from the impenetrable darkness, 

 1 could not ascertain anything with certainty. Being 

 unable, however, to endure the suspense any longer, 

 and regardless of the danger to which I exposed 

 myself, I caught up my fowling-piece, which hap- 

 pened to be loaded with ball, and sol out in the 

 direction whence the wailings now fast dying 

 away proceeded. 



1 had not gone very far before I fell in with a 

 number of natives, who were hastening in the 

 same direction as myself. 



