INTRODUCTION. IX 



African Lion. Treating his subject in an earnest, simple manner, he 

 shows his kindly heart even in the battle for life or death that ho 

 daily fights, and protecting his game with sweeping sarcasm from all 

 poaching traps, pit-falls, and assassin's wiles, he wages none but an 

 equal and loyal warfare. The writer not only describes the chase 

 and death of his noble prey, but he in a manner writes his life. 

 Commencing with the courtship of the royal couple, he describes all 

 their murmuring words, their caresses and jealousies. He introduces 

 to us the infant cub under his wild olive bower, even before his eyes 

 have opened to the sunlight, and shows his appearance, his gradual 

 growth, and education ; the motherly tenderness that watches over 

 him, and the dawning intelligence that he evinces. The hunter, as if 

 to prove the truth of observation by. actual fact, goes to the very 

 den of the lion, and taking a cub from its cradle, wraps it in his 

 burnous, carries it to Guelina, and makes it his bosom friend and 

 comrade ; and the coldest reader cannot peruse the last scenes of 

 Hubert's life without looking away from the book, and drawing a 

 long breath to repress the gathering tear. 



Our author follows the young lion from his birthplace until he 

 takes his seat on the throne of his ancestors, and rules with undisput- 

 ed sway a territory of twenty square leagues. 



It is no amateur's study that he gives the reader, but it is his daily 

 experience of nearly ten years. The intimacy is continued during the 

 sleeping as well as waking hours of the sylvan king, and at night at 

 well as in the day. Indeed in regard to an animal essentially noctur- 

 nal in his habits, the former noon-day acquaintance of natural histo- 

 rians was anything but satisfactory ; but Gerard stood sentinel on the 

 mountain side from sunset till daylight, listening for the jackal's bark 

 that heralded the coming of the master, or carefully following him 

 by his tracks under the light of the full moon to the half finished 

 banquet he had left on the previous night. Truly a royal game for 

 the hunter to play, and a pleasant tale for the reader who loves the 



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