MY FIRST EXPERIENCE IN LION HUNTING. 221 



tafe they would doubtless have attacked each other in 

 order to revenge their common enemy. 



"When their feelings were somewhat calmed, and they were 

 seated again on their mats, the head of the establishment, 

 who was a Turk, and an old soldier of the Bey of Constantine, 

 recounted the feats of some of his comrades, and finished by 

 a comparison with the Romans but little flattering to the 

 latter. 



I will here explain the various terms used in Algeria to 

 designate the French. 



In the villao-es the Arabs, who besrin to lead a civilized life in 

 order to please their rulers, call the French, Francis. Among 

 the wild tribes they say JRoumi, Romans, Nazari, Nazarenes, 

 and Kafer, Pagans. The first two expressions are those most 

 in use, and the latter is the sign of the most profound scorn. 

 It need not be inferred that when they speak of us as Romans 

 and Nazarenes that they mean any compliment; you have 

 but to look at the Arab's face to see the utter dislike that 

 mantles his dark blood whenever the name comes to his lips. 



As I could not suffer the Turk to treat us thus disparag- 

 ingly, I joined in the conversation to tell them I knew a little 

 Roman who could cause all the Turks to be forgotten by 

 gaining greater renown than they. Being urged by the 

 Musselmen present to name this person of whose existence 

 they were utterly ignorant, I turned to the spahis and 

 said: 



" If I obtain permission from my officers I will go with you 

 this very day in search of the lion." 



They looked at me from head to foot as if to measure my 



