208 THE LION KILLER. 



of doing the same by night, when the darkness destroyed all 

 my powers of defence ; nevertheless the manner of assassina- 

 tion that I was about adopting was very repugnant to me. 

 It seemed as if I was laying a trap, and was nothing more 

 than a common murderer ; and in spite of the story that had 

 been related, the veracity of which has since been proved to 

 me, I suspected that this manner of hunting would be 

 regarded by the natives as it was by me, only with disdain. 



Not knowing the country and not being able to trust the 

 counsels of the Arabs, I found myself in a very embarrassing 

 position. It was only then and as a last resource that I con- 

 cluded to use the blind I had made. 



In order to have every convenience* I consulted with the 

 veterinary surgeon, who had charge of all the sick horses of 

 the squadron, in order to get a dish fit for a lion, if not in 

 quality x at least in quantity, and he promised me what I 

 wanted. My comrades engaged to explain my absence during 

 the night if it should be remarked, and on a beautiful evening 

 in the month of April I went out of the camp wrapped in my 

 burnous to conceal my arms, and joined the stable keeper on 

 the ed^e of the woods, where he had a horse awaiting the 

 sacrifice. 



An hour after, the execution had taken place in front of 

 my block house, and my companion had returned to the camp. 



I employed the little of the daylight that remained in 

 loading my army musket, and my two horse pistols, which 

 composed my whole arsenal. 



The blind was situated in the heart of the mountain, and 

 on a little plateau that overlooked the plain. I watched the 



