MY FIRST EXPERIENCE IN LION HUNTING. 229 



me think it was a species of fireworks that they were accus- 

 tomed to display for their amusement. 



At the moment when these new kind of fusees were burning 

 with their brightest flame, and the concert of men, women, 

 children and dogs had attained its height, everything was 

 suddenly hushed, and disappeared as if by enchantment. 



The firemen dropped their brands, and men and dogs 

 made a rush, head over heels to the entrance of the tents 

 they had just left, dragging me with them in their flight. 

 The dogs just before so noisy and anxious to bite every 

 one within reach, immediately became dumb and as gentle 

 as lambs. 



All of a sudden, in the midst of this general silence, a 

 fearful noise arose from the enclosure of the douar, that made 

 me tremble in spite of myself; and in an instant the tent was 

 invaded by a herd of animals that came crowding and rush- 

 ing on one another, and trampling down men and women 

 without thought or pity. There were horned cattle and 

 sheep, camels and asses, horses and mules, and they all bel- 

 lowed, and whinnied, and brayed as they rushed over and 

 past us, tearing down tents and fences in an utter rout. It 

 seemed as if the trumpet had blown for the final judgment. 

 I had never fancied such a babel of beastly sounds, even in 

 the ark of Father Noah. 



I do not know how I came there, but I found myself in the 

 women's apartment together with crying children and fright- 

 ened animals. I hastened to get out to learn what was going 

 on, and found the Arabs on every side armed with their guns, 



