30 THE LION KILLER. 



CHAPTER II. 



THE ARAB FASHION OF HUNTING THE LION. 



The Arabs, after they have suffered for a long time from 

 the ravages of the lion among their herds, are at length 

 forced to guard themselves from his attacks and repay his 

 insults. 



Since experience has shown them that the gun alone is a 

 an instrument productive of more danger to themselves than 

 to the animal they attack, they oppose cunning to his 

 audacity, which is so great as often to cause him to fall into 

 the trap prepared for his destruction. It is true that they 

 bring the gun to aid them in their work of death, but it is 

 only when the animal is made incapable of doing any injury, 

 that they level at him their balls and insults. Before speak- 

 ing of the tribes who, in open fight, from time to time, will 

 kill a lion, and of the manner in which they do it, I will first 

 treat of the simpler methods of chase that are practised by 

 the Arabs without any danger to themselves. 



I will place the pit-fall, or zonabia, as it is called by the 

 Arabs, first in order, because it is the plan most generally 

 practised, and the principal number of skins sent by the 

 Arabs into market, are secured by this method. As I treated 



