82 GERABD, THE LION HUNTER 



Then, hearing nothing, I rose cautiously and went to 

 inspect the spot where the lion had received my two shots. 



The goat was panting on the ground, terrified, but 

 otherwise unhurt. 



I soon realised that the lion had been hit by both my 

 balls, and they had pierced him right through. Every 

 hunter knows that an animal can go further with a wound 

 right through the body than if the ball is lodged in its 

 inside. I set off on the track. It was not difficult to 

 follow. 



As I supposed, he had regained his lair. At this 

 moment I saw the heads of Amida, Amar Ben-Sarah, and 

 Bilkassem appear at the top of the ravine. They 

 approached with caution, not knowing whether I was 

 dead or alive, and prepared to fire. When they saw me 

 they shouted with joy and ran to join me. They 

 wanted to start at once in pursuit of the lion, but I 

 held them back ; for, in my opinion, the lion had been 

 dangerously, probably mortally, wounded, but the heart 

 had not been touched. He was still full of strength, 

 and his last struggles would be terrible. 



As we were discussing this, eight or ten more men, 

 armed with guns, joined us. They had heard my two 

 shots, and, like Amida, Bilkassem, and Amar Ben- Sarah, 

 ran to see what had happened. 



Their first cry was ' Let us follow him ! ' 



I assured them they would run great danger. But 

 no ; ' Stay there,' said they, ' and we'll bring him to you 

 dead.' 



It was useless to repeat that the lion, in my opinion, 

 was still very much alive indeed ; they insisted on 

 entering the wood. 



Finding that nothing would turn them from their 

 project, I determined to go with them. But I took my 

 precautions. I reloaded my favourite gun, gave one to 

 Ben-Sarah and another to Amida, and, thus prepared, I 

 entered the wood on the track of the lion. 



