MY FIRST EXPERIENCE IN LION HUNTING. 249 



panying me, that I believed it was not merely for form's sake, 

 I gave him permission, and we continued our researches 

 together. 



Not far from the clearing, I found several sleeping-places 

 the lion had made, to be used, sometimes one and sometimes 

 another, according to his fancy. All the roots, stones and 

 leaves that interfered with the softness of the couch, had 

 been carefully removed by the sybarite sleeper, and the 

 ground between the different beds was covered with the bark 

 of the trees that he had scratched off while amusing himself, 

 or sharpening his claws. 



While I was examining these curious details of the bearded 

 king, my attention was roused by a low growling noise, like 

 the commencement of a lion's roar, accompanied by the 

 cracking of branches. My companion, leaning forward 

 towards me, whispered, " Did you hear that ?" I nodded 

 assent, and he continued with such a piteous air that it made 

 me smile, " The master is not pleased at our coming here 

 like two thieves." 



" What if he isn't ?" I replied. 



" Oh, you will see in a moment more," he continued, 

 creeping close to me. 



The branches continued to crack, and the noise to increase, 

 when Bou-Aziz putting his ear to the ground, shouted out, 

 with pleasure lighting up his whole face, " It isn't the lion, 

 it isn't the lion, but only the fire our friends have lit in the 

 grass below." 



Sure enough, in a few moments more the fire had caught 

 the whole thicket, and we came near being roasted alive by 

 these rascals, who had decamped without giving us any notice. 



We were obliged to hasten away, and it being now too 

 late to seek the other haunts of the lion, we w r ent to a spring- 

 where he sometimes came to drink, and waited for the 

 night. 



