68 THE LION OF SOUTH AFRICA. 



It should, however, be said in reply to this, in the 

 first place,, that hitherto painters have never had South 

 African lions for their models ; and then that this lion, 

 although less formidable than the lion of the Atlas, is, 

 nevertheless, not quite so contemptible an animal as 

 the worthy traveller would have us believe. 



II. 



ONE of the characteristic traits of this or that variety 

 is undoubtedly the great number of individuals which 

 represent it in certain parts of Africa. Not that one 

 finds in any part entire armies of lions, such as are 

 spoken of by the author of an old work, " Voyage a 

 File de France ; " but every traveller has had occasion 

 to note that on such a night, in such a place, many 

 lions, roaring horribly, were prowling round his camp 

 fire. 



Listen to Le Yaillant : 



" On all sides we heard wild beasts, and above all 

 lions, crying and roaring in a fearful manner. Many of 

 the latter in particular would come and prowl round 

 our camp all night, filling with dismay both my men 

 and my animals; neither our fires nor our muskets 

 would drive them away ; they would reply with a sort 

 of savage fury to the roaring of those in the neighbour- 

 hood, as if inviting them to the carnage by making a 



