ARAB FASHION OF HUNTING THE LION. 63 



Hardly had the Arabs left the ground to take the place 

 that I had indicated to them, before a lion came out of the 

 thicket, and seeing me comparatively alone, walked straight 

 towards me, the other one following him at about sixty paces 

 in his rear. I was sitting upon a pile of rocks that over- 

 looked the place, and which were accessible by successive 

 ledges, cut up by crevices. 



The Arab I had selected was at my side, holding my 

 carbine at half-cock, ready for me to take it after having 

 discharged both barrels of the one I held in my hand. 



The first lion, in coming towards me, sprang up on the 

 lower ledge of rocks, and then paused. I covered him with 

 my carbine, and just as he turned towards his comrade, 

 exposing his right shoulder, I fired. At the report of the 

 gun he fell, then raising himself, attempted to spring at me, 

 but fell again. I saw that he had both shoulders broken. 

 The second lion came bounding to the foot of the rocks, 

 with his tail to the wind and his voice sending vengeance to 

 his foes. I fired as he was passing his prostrate comrade, 

 aiming just behind the shoulder ; he stumbled for a second, 

 but regaining his feet, with one bound, was on the edge of 

 the rock where we were standing. I seized my second gun 

 from the hands of my trembling Arab, and fired at the 

 temple of the animal, and he fell dead at four steps from our 

 very feet. I then gave the coup de grace to the first lion 

 and the battle was w r on. 



Let us now return, without further digression, to the 

 assembly of hunters preparing for an attack, and illustrate 

 their usual manner of proceeding, after they are satisfied 



