nt to sleep.

How long I slept I cannot tell, but I was suddenly awakened by one of
the most tremendous roars I ever heard. It was so chose to me that, in
the confusion of my sleepy brain, it seemed to be far more terrible than
that even of the gorilla. I was mistaken in this, however, and no doubt
my semi-somnolent condition tended to increase its awfulness.

Springing into a sitting posture, and by an involuntary impulse reaching
out my hand for my gun which lay close to me, I beheld a sight that was
calculated to appal the stoutest heart. A lion of the largest size was
in the very act of springing over the bushes and alighting on the zebra,
which, as I have said, lay on the other side of the fire and not four
yards off from us. As the light glared in the brute's eyes, and, as it
were, sparkled in gleams on its shaggy mane, which streamed out under
the force of its majestic bound, it seemed to my bewildered gaze as
though the animal were in the air almost above my head, and that he must
inevitably alight upon myself. This, at least, is the impression left
upon my mind now that I look back upon that terrific scene. But there
was no time for thought. The roar was uttered, the bound was made, and
the lion alighted on the carcass of the zebra almost in one and the same
moment. I freely confess that my heart quailed within me. Yet that did
not prevent my snatching up my gun; but before I had time to cock it the
crashing report of Jack's elephant rifle almost split the drum of my
ear, and I beheld the lion drop as if it had been a stone.

It lay without motion, completely dead, and we found, on examination,
that the ball had smashed in the centre of its forehead and completely
penetrated its brain.

Some time elapsed before we could find words to express our feelings.
Our guide, who had so completely enveloped his head and shoulders in
grass when he lay down to sleep that he was the last to spring up,
looked at the huge carcass of the lion with an expression of utter
bewilderment.

"What a magnificent fellow! And what a splendid shot!" exclaimed
Peterkin at last. "Why, Jack, I don't believe there's a finer lion in
Africa. It's lucky, though, that you were on the _qui vive_."

"Yes," said I; "had it not been for you we might have been all killed by
this time."

"No fear o' dat," chimed in our guide, as he sat down on the lion's
shoulder, and began to stroke its mane; "hims was want him's supper off
de zeb