A Lions' Concert 275 



whole of the lions in the neighbourhood, judging from 

 their roars within terrifying proximity at the side of 

 the stockade, where the wind reveals the presence of 

 our two new boarders. I have already mentioned the 

 profound, startling impression which the roar of a 

 lion makes upon man. There is nothing more terrify- 

 ing in the darkness than that powerful voice, which 

 echoes several miles away, and shakes the ground ; 

 when it is heard only one or two feet away it is 

 enough to shake the nerves of the coolest. The 

 females appear to be the most furious, doubtless 

 heaping upon us in their language their worst invec- 

 tives. The noise prevents any one from sleeping. 

 Several times I try a few rifle-shots to make them at 

 least go away ; but the night is as black as ink arid 

 very cloudy, and I seek in vain for the box in which 

 the electric projector is packed. 



Towards morning a storm joins in the chorus. 

 The heavens rumble, mingling their voice with that of 

 the kino; of the felines, at first in hollow tones, then 



O 7 



with loud claps. Dawn at last slowly announces 

 its appearance in black weather ; rain extinguishes 

 our fires. The peals of thunder end by drowning 

 the roars, and the lions withdraw at daybreak. 



I went out, but without meeting any of the mem- 

 bers of the family. We then left the district, carrying 

 with us in a basket the cubs, which from the first 

 night took kindly to the feeding-bottle. Later they 

 became accustomed to sucking at a goat which had to 

 be tied with its head to leeward because of the 

 terrifying effect the odour of its nurslings had upon 



