ALARM OCCASIONED BY A LION. 
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the east ; others conducted herds of oxen ; some were on horse- 
back. The horsemen, of whom I was one, were exclusively 
charged either with the duty of urging on the stragglers, or 
keeping a look-out, Each carried his provision of water and 
dry couscous. We were soon obliged to wait for those, who 
either from weakness or being unused to walking, could not 
keep up with the rest of the troop. The Marabouts, before 
they began their march, prayed to God to protect them during 
the rest of their journey ; every one cordially joined in their 
prayer, for independent of wild beasts, we had still to fear 
the attacks of the Moors, who crossed the same forest by a 
diflerent path. When we were certain that no person remained 
behind, a Marabout, named Ali, gave the order to march, re- 
questing me at the same time to form the rear-guard, and to 
prevent any of our troop from stopping. Lighted by the 
moon, we marched quietly on without fear of losing the path; 
when all on a sudden, in the thickest part of the wood, our 
ears were struck with the roaring of a lion, seemingly about 
a hundred paces distant. The silence which instantly reigned 
throughout our troop, permitted us to hear very distinctly the 
movements of this terrific animal among the high grass which 
concealed him from our view ; an enormous baobab which a 
negro pointed out to me, afforded a retreat. The effect 
of thunder, does not cause a more awful sensation than that 
which the alarming cry of the king of beasts produced on the 
whole caravan ; women, children, all ran pell-mell for protec- 
