CHAPTER XIX. 



THE ROAR OF THE LION. STILL HUNTING AT THE 

 FOUNTAIN. THE LION AND THE LIONESS. 

 WILDEBEEST. RESUME THE MARCH. CHASE 

 OF THE GIRAFFE. BUFFALOES. 



* 



A FEW nights after we had encamped at the fountain, 

 I was startled by hearing, for the first time, the roar of the 

 lion. Who, once hearing, can ever forget that grand and 

 awful voice ? The peculiar tone of haughty defiance, in 

 its thunder, sent a thrill of terror through my heart one 

 not easily appalled. Slowly, the dreadful sound pervaded 

 the plains, like a commanding threat from the king of wild 

 beasts to his subjects. Mr. Barrill and I sat up by the 

 fire to listen. First came a low, deep moaning, ending in 

 faint sighs ; and then came that lofty roar, repeated five 

 or six times in quick succession, each increasing in loud- 

 ness to the third or fourth, when the voice died away ia 

 (142) 



