THE JACKAL AXD THE FOX. 105 



behind, is lost to its anxious parents for ever. In the night, 

 he hunts the hare and rabbit in company with some of his 

 comrades, who take up their position while he follows the 

 scent, crying as loud as possible. 



Not content with the profits he can derive from these differ- 

 ent branches of his own particular industry, the jackal, which 

 are without number in Algeria, and especially in the province 

 of Constantine, joins the hyena's night maraudings, and lions, 

 when they are out on a foray. The lions do not recieve 

 much benefit from the company of this parasite; but it is 

 especially in their company, that the jackal gains the most 

 from his sybarite life, and that without any trouble to him- 

 self. The following will explain how he gets invited into 

 the company of the marauders : * 



Everywhere among the Arab population, there is a large 

 class of marauders. These are young men, swift of foot, with 

 a quick eye and great courage, who set out on the darkest 

 nights, sometimes four or ten at a time, to take from their 

 neighbors' flocks, horned cattle, or horses, or whatever they 

 can steal — this is what they call night-walking. 



The jackal having met a band of such gentry driving 

 home the cows and sheep they have captured, instantly follows 

 them. 



Soon the chief of the marauders remarks to his companions 

 that he had a poor dinner, and that a sheep more or less 

 would be no great thing, especially as it did not cost much. 



All being of the same mind, in an instant, the beast is 

 cleaned, skinned, and fastened on a tree, before a fire large 

 enough to roast an ox. 



