THE SULTANA OF THE DESERT. 27 



time, he at length ventured to peep, hoping that the lion 

 had taken his departure, when, to his great terror and as- 

 tonishment, his eyes met those of the animal, which, as 

 the poor fellow afterward ^^ 

 expressed himself, flashed \ 

 fire at him. In short, the 

 lion laid himself down at 

 the foot of the tree, and did 

 not move from the place for 

 twenty-four hours. At the 

 end of this time, becoming 



parched with thirst, he went to a spring at some distance 

 in order to drink. The Hottentot now with great fear 

 ventured to descend, and scampered off home as fast as 

 his feet could carry him. 



CHAPTER IV. 



THE SULTANA OF THE DESERT. 



1. NEAR the close of the last century, while the French 

 army under Bonaparte occupied Egypt, a soldier belong- 

 ing to the division of Desaix was captured by the Arabs 

 and carried away. In order to put a safe distance between 

 themselves and the French, the Arabs made a forced 

 march through the desert, and at night encamped by a 

 fountain surrounded by palm-trees. 



2. Here they bound the hands of their prisoner, fed 

 their horses, made a supper of dates, and all went to sleep. 

 As soon as the Frenchman saw that he was not watched, 

 he unloosed the knot which bound him with his teeth and 

 regained his liberty. He seized a carbine, some dried 



