164 THE LION KILLER. 



My gun was at my shoulder, my finger on the trigger, and 

 the moment I caught her eye, glassy and fixed, from among 

 the leaves, an iron messenger of death crashed through her 

 brain ; she sprang into the air with a great bound, and fell on 

 the body of the horse with a convulsive motion, and died. 

 I waited all that night for the cubs, but they never returned, 

 having probably witnessed the tragical demise of their honored 

 parent, and feared lest they might share her fate. 

 ' The lioness does not boldly attack you, but on seeing you, 

 first stops, then if you aim at her, will crouch, and so closely 

 that you can scarcely see her. 



In a moment, after she will cautiously raise her head. If 

 your gun is not at your shoulder, she will pretend to go 

 away, but she will never leave the neighborhood if her cubs 

 have not escaped beyond all danger. 



If they are wandering near you or have stopped in their 

 flight, the lioness, that you believed to be far off, will crawl 

 around you on her belly, and spring on you suddenly without 

 the slightest noise or warning. Therefore, be prudent, cool, 

 and vigilant. 



If you pass the summer in Mahouna, it may sometimes 

 happen on a fine evening, a little after sunset while you are 

 sipping a cup of coffee, while seated before your tent, that 

 you will hear something like the distant noise of artillery, 

 echoing among the mountains. There is no fort in the neigh 

 borhood, and the cannon at Guelma are not fired except at 

 noon. Go and seat yourself outside the douar, in order to 

 hear more distinctly. 



Your ear has never listened to a more harmonious, sonor- 

 ous and imposing sound. 



