THE ROMANCE OF NATURAL HISTORY. 



noceroses, giraffes, zebras, and antelopes, are 

 crossed and recrossed by those of the great pad- 

 ding paws of huge lions. The hunter observes the 

 paths, and selecting a spot, digs a hole in the 

 earth just large enough to allow him and his 

 Hottentot attendant to lie down in. He places 

 his bedding in it, and prepares to spend his nights 

 there. About sunset he repairs to his strange bed, 

 and, with the sparkling stars above him, and 

 silence deep as death around him, he keeps his 

 watch. 



Soon the stillness is broken by many sounds. 

 The terrible roar of a lion is heard in the distance; 

 jackals are heard snorting and snarling over a 

 carcase ; a herd of zebras gallops up toward the 

 fountain, but hesitates to approach ; then a pack 

 of wild dogs is heard chattering around. By and 

 by, a heavy clattering of hoofs comes up the val- 

 ley, and on sweeps a vast herd of wildebeest ; the 

 leader approaches the water, when the hunter's 

 rifle sends a ball through him, and he falls dead 

 on the bank. 



The herd disperses in terror; and presently a 

 lion utters an appalling roar from a bushy ridge 

 just opposite, which is succeeded by a breathless 

 silence. 



A quarter of an hour elapses. A peculiar sound 

 causes the hunter to lift his head, when he sees, 

 on the opposite edge of the pool, a huge and 

 majestic male lion, with a black mane which 

 nearly sweeps the ground, standing over the dead 

 wildebeest. He seems suspicious ; and stooping to 

 seize the carcase, drags it up the slope. Again the 

 intrepid watcher points his trusty rifle, and the 

 tawny monarch sinks to the shot. At length 

 with a deep growl he rises, and limps away to a 

 bushy cover, where he roars mournfully, and dies, 

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