THE DEED, ANTELOPE AND GAZEL. 115 



ridges, or on declivities entirely uncovered, in order to avoid 

 all surprise from marauding foes. 



Without being certain in regard to the gazel of the desert, 

 I believe their habits are the same ; for, at the commence- 

 ment of the siege of Zatcha, in 1849, 1 saw some which came 

 every morning at daybreak, and every evening a little before 

 twilight, to drink at a stream near one of our posts. The 

 noise of the cannonade, at last, obliged them to withdraw and 

 seek some other more quiet pasturage. 



The gazel and lion are the two extremes of moral and 

 physical strength. 



The one is as timid as the other is bold, weak as the other 

 is strong, beautiful by the lightness and well-defined delicacy 

 of its form, and the mildness of its eye, as the other is noble 

 by right of royalty given him by his Maker, by the propor- 

 tions of his muscular body, full of iron strength and power, 

 and by the proud calmness of his look, which imposes respect 

 and fascination over all. 



If the human species had not degenerated, the gazel might 

 be compared to woman, and the lion to man ; but if there 

 still remain some women worthy of the comparison with this 

 fairy, the noblest man of the age is a paltry creature by the 

 side of the king of beasts. 



Though the Arabs render justice to the personal beauty of 

 the gazel, and especially to that of its eyes, it does not pre- 

 vent them from hunting them with the utmost vigor. 



In the South the gazel, like the antelope, is hunted with 

 greyhounds. 



It a herd surrounded by horsemen does not become alto- 



