and one of the
animals passing not far from him, he had climbed into a tree, knowing he
would not be deserted. All night long they had roamed about him, one
apparently wounded lying down under the tree where he lay concealed.
Towards morning it got up and walked into the bush.

Guided by the Australian bush cry, which he had heard perfectly, Noti
had come down from his tree. Trembling with fear, the black moved
cautiously on, and suddenly found himself face to face with the wounded
lion, who instantly sprang upon him. The rifle exploded, but how, the
poor frightened wretch never knew, for beast and man were rolling on the
ground together, and doubtless startled by the report, similar to that
which preceded his wound, the lion bounded away, leaving the mangled
insensible Noti on the ground. Its claws had dreadfully disfigured his
face, and the powerful jaws had crushed in the ribs of the right side.
The whole had passed in a few seconds, and now at the bottom of the boat
lay the corpse of poor Noti.

About one o'clock that day the bar was reached, and the three gazed upon
the long blue line of ocean, with its restless waves, tipped with foam.
"I had no idea the river was so marshy at its mouth, nor that we should
find a bar," said Hughes.

"There is almost invariably one at the mouth of African rivers; and look
at the herons fishing. There are quantities of these birds, and they
seem smaller than any I have seen before. What a beautiful dark purple;
and the throat, too, streaked with purple lines, only they have no
tail," said Wyzinski. "And the birds' nests, only see what a number of
them; they actually overhang the water, seeming to all but touch the
river."

"That is almost always the case where snakes abound," replied the
missionary. "The birds know that water is their best protector from
these reptiles; and these are the nest builders, those bright yellow
birds scarce seven inches long. How active they are."

In truth the river abounded with life. There were hawks and eagles
soaring near, birds of beautiful colours darting to and fro. The
kingfisher, with its heavy scarlet bill, and its wings of bright blue,
came dashing past, while another and even more beautiful bird kept
crossing before the canoe as if accompanying it, its head a bright green
colour, with wings of purple and green mixed, and long dark purple tail.

"Well, I am not sorry to see the blue waves once more, and to hear the
scream of