254 THE LION KILLER. 



before tlie lion, but yet this ravager will die by his hand, and 

 not only he but many others. Find out this man, he will 

 bring peace to your tent. Kiss his hand, it will protect you. 

 Shower blessings on his head, for God has sent you a savior 

 in him whom he has chosen from all the world. So let it be' 



u This is what the wise men said to us, and thou hast made 

 their words true by chasing away the lion by thy presence 

 only. But we are all children of the same Adam, and it is 

 not right that one tribe should monopolize thy presence at 

 the expense of others who come to pray for the same pro- 

 tection. ^ Follow us to our douars, where thy coming is 

 awaited by great and small, and where they told us at part- 

 ing, don't come back unless you bring him with you." 



" I will go witB you," I said, rising, " under one promise, 

 and that is that you will show me the lion within eight days, 

 being the time fixed for my return to camp." 



They promised everything, and I set out with my heart 

 full of hope. 



El Archioua, the country I was going to explore, is situated 

 between the two rivers, the Ouled-bou-Sousa and the Ouled- 

 Aliah ; its aspect is equally wild, as the district I have before 

 described. 



On my arrival at the douars of Archioua I was received 

 with open arms, and the reins of my horse were seized by a 

 tumultuous and noisy multitude, that disputed for the honor 

 of my entertainment; but I gave the preference to the Arab 

 who had told the pathetic tale of the loss of his mare. 



If the men were full of joy and enthusiasm at my arrival, 

 it was not the same with the women of the tribe, who did not 

 conceal their suspicion, and under a thousand pretexts came 

 to look at me through the curtains of the tent. More than 

 once my attentive ear was greeted with the sound of the 

 word, roumi, which I had supposed no longer applicable to 

 me. If some of the women said among themselves, " Poor 

 young fellow, he is going to be devoured ;" others did not 



