MT FIRST EXPERIENCE IN LION HUNTING. 23*7 



cape of our burnous a meal cake with a handful of dates, 

 and that would suffice. As to the water we had the moun- 

 tain streams, and as they sufficed for the lion, they would 

 answer for us. The men who had brought the couscoussou 

 being afraid to return to the douar alone, we kept them with 

 us all night, but the morning came without any lion. 



The entire day being spent in repose, the evening found 

 Bou-Aziz and myself again at our posts, he a little more con- 

 fident, and I more reserved than ever. When it came dark, 

 he told me that we would be more likely to meet the lion by 

 following up the different paths than by remaining in the 

 same place. 



Accordingly, we left our post on the rock, and struck into 

 a path that led down the hills towards the plain. The 

 heavens were serene and the moon flooded the pure air with 

 silver, leaving even the shadows under the woods in a mellow 

 twilight. The path was so narrow that we had to march 

 single file, and I followed my guide, pausing now and then to 

 watch the effect of the light and shadow, or the gleam like 

 snow of the distant water or sleeping tents. 



All of a sudden Bou-Aziz turned around, and seizing me 

 by the sleeve, drew me aside in the woods. Once there, he 

 crouched down and obliged me to do the same. Seeing that 

 I was about to speak, he said : 



" Chut — keep quiet or we are lost." 



" What do you mean ?" I said in my usual tone. " Here we 

 are marching on the path in order to meet the lion, and now 

 you hide me that he may not see us ?" 



" It is a cloud " (saga), he said ; " keep still." 



