488 THRILLING ADVENTURES. 



light of the moon. There was no doubting the fact it was 

 this man who attracted the attention of the lions. I expressly 

 forbade the spahi to wake up the Arab, as I was persuaded 

 that when the action was over he would be proud of having 

 served as a bait, even without knowing it. I then prepared 

 my arms and placed them against the tree and got up, in order 

 the better to observe the movements of the enemy. They were 

 not less than half an hour traversing a distance of one hundred 

 metres. Although the ground was open, I could only see 

 them when they raised their heads to make sure that the Arab 

 was still there. They took advantage of every stone, and 

 every tuft of grass, to render themselves almost invisible ; at 

 last the boldest of them came up crouching on his belly, to 

 within ten paces of me, and fifteen of the Arab. His eye was 

 fixed on the latter, and with such an expression that I was 

 afraid I had waited too long. The second, who had stayed a 

 few paces behind, came and placed himself on a level with, 

 and about four or five paces from the first. I then saw for 

 the first time that they were both full-grown lionesses. I took 

 aim at the first, and she came rolling and roaring down to the 

 foot of the tree. The Arab was scarcely awakened when a 

 second ball stretched the animal dead upon the spot. The 

 first bullet went in at the muzzle and came out at the tail ; 

 the second had gone through the heart. After making sure 

 that my men were all right, I looked out for the second lioness. 

 She was standing up within fifteen paces, looking at what was 

 going on around her. I took my gun and levelled it at her. 

 She squatted down. When I fired she foil down roaring, and 

 disappeared in a field of maize on the edge of the road. On 

 approaching I found by her moaning that she was still alive, 

 and did not venture at night into the thick plantation which 

 sheltered her. As soon as it was day I went to the spot where 

 she had fallen, and all I found were blood-marks marking her 

 track in the direction of the wood. After sending the dead 

 lioness to the neighboring garrison, who celebrated its arrival 



