THE AFRICAN LION IN ITS NATIVE HAUNTS. 315 
species of prelude, and immediately afterwards it is repeated, 
but tbis time it is much louder and more protracted ; the jaws 
of the animal being still closed, or the mouth but slightly 
opened. The third and fourth outbursts are given to the air 
through the fully extended jaws, and with the whole force of the 
lungs. To listen to this roar is terrible for those who happen to 
be crossing the monarch’s path, or to be marching through 
the lonely forest. At length, after two or three more utter- 
ances of this kind, the animal ends, as he commenced, with less 
vigorous notes. 
The distance to which I have been able to trace the progress 
of a lion by his roar, when there has been no contrary wind, 
and no mountain nor other obstacle to intercept the sound, is 
two or three leagues ; but when he roars about a league off, 
one who is unaccustomed to the sound would believe him to be 
close at hand. 
A curious circumstance which I have noticed, is that when 
the lion is accompanied by his mate they always roar alter- 
nately; that is to say the lioness commences, and the lion 
answers her, each continuing in its turn to utter its note, but 
the tones never being mingled. It has afforded me some 
satisfaction to find that my hero possesses a musical quality, 
which has never been observed in any other quadruped, so far 
as I am aware ; and I am quite content to leave it to men of 
science to discover the cause, should they deem the matter 
deserving of their attention. 
But to return to our hungry lion, whom we left descending 
from his mountain lair to the plain on which the encampments 
are pitched. By the term “ encampment ” * the Arabs and 
natives of Barbary designate an assemblage of tents ranged 
in a circle, and in close proximity with one another, except in 
one part, which serves as a passage to and from the plain. In 
the centre of this circle the herds are penned ; and the external 
enclosure which surrounds and serves as a protection to the 
tents, consists of a rude hedge from six to twelve feet in height. 
The aperture or passage referred to is kept open during the 
day, but is closed at night. 
When the Arabs hear the lion begin to roar in the distance 
they are at once on the qui vive. Heaps of wood are piled up 
before each tent and kindled, so that when the lion arrives near 
the encampment he may be visible to all, and that the owner of 
each tent may be able to throw a lighted brand at his head, 
and drive him forward to his neighbours tent. 
But the king of beasts is so much accustomed to these fires 
and to the cries of men, women and children, joined with the 
* “ Douar.’ 
