266 After Big Game in Central Africa 



shade, and covered it with leaves. It was very large, 

 as the accompanying picture will show better than 

 any description ; to comprehend its size, you have 

 only to compare my helmet to its head. 



About four o'clock the men return with the water 

 for which we are waiting impatiently, for, having 

 given them all we had before they set off to the 

 camp, we are almost dying of thirst. The photo- 

 graphs are then taken ; after which we begin to skin 

 the lion, which is already in a state of decomposition, 

 so great is the heat. We return to the camp in the 

 evening, very tired, but, nevertheless, satisfied with 

 our day's work. 



One year later, on October 7, 1896, again at the 

 period of night-watches, lions roar the whole night 

 about three-quarters of a mile away. But they do 

 not come to drink : they keep us, for five or six 

 hours, in a state of excitement which you can easily 

 imagine when you know that on that particular 

 night we were seated only on the ground under a large 

 tree without the smallest ant-hill to protect us in 

 the rear. 



As we can still hear them in the neighbourhood 

 at daybreak, I decide to guide myself to them by the 

 sound. On our route is the broad, deep bed of a 

 river completely dried up. It is full of dead leaves, 

 and its banks are bordered by large trees, dense 

 vegetation, and tall grass which the fire has not in- 

 jured. 



Before reaching this river we stop to listen a 

 while. The roars seem to get nearer; two lions, 



