54 THE LION KILLER. 



the lion will not come out of his lair. After a great many 

 useless gestures and speeches, the counsels of the old men of 

 the party have yielded to those of the young ones, and it is 

 agreed to attack the lion, wherever they can find him, and as 

 best they may. 



Every one takes off his bournous, which he hangs on a tree, 

 and pulls off his shoes, if he happens to have any, and the 

 entire party, clad only in a shirt that comes down to the 

 knee, goes forward frisking and capering, and treading on 

 each other's heels, to battle against the lion. 



There is the place where the lion has entered under cover, 

 leaving his heavy tracks on the sand, and they must follow 

 his trail without losing it for a single moment, so that the 

 animal will be always in front. 



As the woods are so dense, the party must march in single 

 file, and it is usually some young dare-devil, who has never 

 been on a hunt of this kind, that takes the lead of the 

 column, no matter what his elders may say to oppose him. 



Every time they come across an open glade in the thicket, 

 they take the opportunity to form in order of battle, and 

 invoke the lion to come out, and on his non-appearance, 

 hurl at him whatever, in Musselman tongue, can be con- 

 sidered the most provoking. But the lion, according to his 

 better tactics, though fully conscious of all these insults, 

 retires to the thickest of the cover, and, crouching on his 

 breast, awaits the proper moment. 



The party again resumes its march, still led by the young 

 scapegrace, who, presently stopping, and pointing to the 

 track before him, says : 



