38 
IN AFRICA 
watched eagerly for a chance to escape. Finally 
one dark night, when the sentinels were asleep, a 
bunch of ten succeeded in creeping away into the 
They Made Their Way Steadily Toward the Coast 
darkness. They were unarmed and chained from 
neck to neck, one to another. For several days they 
made their way steadily toward the coast. All 
seemed well. They ate fruit and nuts and herbs and 
began to see visions of a pleasant arrival at the 
coast. 
But, alas! Their hopes were soon to be dispelled. 
One night a deep rumbling roar was heard in the 
jungle through which they were picking their 
unanimous way. A shudder ran through the slaves. 
“Simba” they whispered in terror. A little while 
later there was another rumble, this time much 
closer. They speedily became more frightened. 
Here they were, ten days’ march from the coast, 
unarmed, and quite defenseless against a lion. 
Presently the lion appeared, his cruel, hungry 
eyes gleaming through the night. They were 
