62 THE LION KILLER. 



manner as himself, and surging from side to side with the 

 motion of the mule. Then another mule with the other 

 wuonded man and the other corpse, and then the body of 

 the lion quartered, and suspended by branches and sur- 

 rounded by the hunters. 



Arriving at the point of separation between the different 

 douars, the hunters are welcomed by cries of joy and grief, 

 hj stamping of feet and hurrahs of triumph, and barkings, 

 sounded by a crowd of men, women, children and dogs, who 

 are awaiting their return. The men mingle with the hunters 

 to gain tidings of the chase and accounts of individual 

 prowess. The women rejoice or weep as their kindred or 

 lovers have come back safe or wounded ; and the children, in 

 spite of their fears, with screams and laughter, pursue the 

 man who runs around covered with the skin of the lion, and 

 roaring with mimicked thunder. At last, when every one is 

 hoarse with shouting, with weeping and barking, the party 

 separates to take each one his individual path, and to try the 

 hunt again on the first favorable opportunity. 



It is after this manner do hunt the Arab tribes of Ouled 

 Meloul and Ouled Cessi. 



The hunting spirit of these people has changed very much 

 within the last few years, and I will give a short history of 

 the causes. 



Before the capture of Algiers by the French, and during 

 the dominion of the Turks, the Beys exempted these two 

 tribes from the payment of all taxes, and gave them honorary 

 titles for their prowess. In addition they paid them well in 

 proportion to the number of men they had lost, for every lion 



