246 THE LION KILLER. 



no lion had ever existed. Bou-Aziz, accustomed to the spec- 

 tacle, paid no attention to it, scanning the distant fields in 

 search of our nobler prey ; but when he saw the wild hogs 

 walking home with leisure confidence, he said that the lion 

 was not in the neighborhood. At length, the sun showed 

 his red face over the purple hills, painting the earth with 

 crimson, and warming the air with his breath, and we 

 returned to the douar. 



After several hours of sleep, I told Bou-Aziz that I would 

 like, if possible, to visit the den of the lion, not only for the 

 chance of meeting him on the road, but also to gratify 

 my curiosity in seeing the domestic arrangements of the syl- 

 van king. 



This was a bold request to make, but the hardy fellow 

 decided, after some hesitation, to accompany me with a dozen 

 of his friends. 



Judging from the preparations of these men, one would 

 have thought that they were going to battle, instead of going 

 to make a visit of curiosity to a wild beast's lair, which proved 

 that the fortress of the beast was none the less difficult to 

 enter, because it was without defences. 



It may not be uninteresting to the reader to know what is 

 the Arab's battle costume, and I will attempt to des- 

 cribe it. 



We all know, or rather we do not all know, that the Arab 

 dress commences with a long shirt, descending to the middle 

 of the leg, without any collar, and with sleeves as large as 

 those on a surplice. Above this shirt is then placed a haik, 

 made of silk or linen, which envelops the body and breast, 

 and winds around the head in five or six folds, where nt is 

 retained in its place by a white or brown cord, made of 

 camel's hair. Outside of all that, are two or three burnous, 

 which complete the national costume. 



The covering for the feet, which is not uniform, only pro- 

 tects the bottom and sides for the footmen : if it is a cava- 



