HOW ROSTAIN BEARDED THE LION. 355 



battle, well knowing that the nearer he was to death, the 

 more dangerous he would be when disturbed. There were 

 two paths by which the river might be crossed, and I knew 

 that the lion would take one or the other to get into the 

 heavier woods beyond. Therefore, I placed five Arabs on the 

 lower ford, stationing them on the further bank where they 

 would have a fair shot at the enemy while wading the river, 

 and I guarded the upper ford. I then directed the larger 

 body of the Arabs that had remained behind to make a great 

 noise to rouse the lion, and to advance towards the river, 

 beating up the bushes as they came. 



I had hardly reached my post when the natives gave a yell 

 that would have awakened the dead. 



The lion did not stir. Then they set up a great shout, 

 " He is dead ! The rascal, the Jew, the Kaffir, he is dead P 

 and they all marched gaily forward with a triumphal step. 

 Presently one of the Arabs came right upon the lion, 

 crouched under a mastic bush. Frightened by the grim 

 apparition, he fired his shot, and took to his heels with the 

 lion after him, but the animal not being able to make a quick 

 movement in his disabled state, the man got off with his 

 fright, and some rather inglorious scratches behind. 



A moment after, another Arab encountered the lion, face 

 to face. The man at first preserved his courage, and with 

 one knee to the earth took aim at his opponent. The lion 

 in turn crouched down like a cat and waited. Up to that 

 instant the game had been well played, but unfortunately the 

 Arab's heart failed him, he turned his head to see if there 

 was any one behind to support him, and the lion, seeing the 

 motion, fell on him like an avalanche. 



With a single stroke of his paw he tore away his cheek 

 and broke the stock of the gun, and the hand that held it. 

 The man was felled to the earth by the blow, and the lion 



