DESCRIPTION OF THE LION. 147 



we were anxious to take a survey of the lion. It was one of 

 the most daring and ferocious kind known as the black- 

 maned lion. The entire length of the animal was ten 

 feet and the height from the fore feet to the top of the 

 enormous head was about four feet. The mane was long, 

 rank, shaggy, and black, reaching almost to the feet. The 

 skin of the body was of a dusky brown hue, and upon the 

 end of the tail was a tuft of hair, somewhat darker. The 

 limbs had the appearance of tremendous strength, and the 

 whole frame seemed so compactly built, that I had no 

 doubt the stories of this celebrated animal were true. 

 The teeth had a horribly powerful look, and the skin of 

 the tongue was rough enough to lick off the flesh from 

 his victim's bones. When we had gained a more 

 familiar acquaintance with the lion, he rose considerably 

 in our estimation. Combining in comparatively small 

 compass, the perfection and agility, he is enabled, by 

 means of the tremendous machinery with which nature 

 has gifted him, easily to overcome and destroy almost 

 every beast of the forest and plain, however, superior to 

 him in weight and stature. A lion under four feet in 

 height has little difficulty in dashing to the ground and 

 overcoming the lofty giraffe, whose head towers above the 

 trees' of the forest, and whose skin is nearly an inch in 

 thickness ; and the powerful buffalo is to him an easy prey. 

 Mr. Barrill skinned the lion a work of great toil and 



