366 THE LION KILLER. 



CHAPTER XXIX. 



A DOUBLE SHOT AMONG THE LIONS OF ZERAZER. 



Having been sent on duty to the south of the province of 

 Constantine, in the latter part of the month of January, 1848, 

 I nightly heard the stories of the chase, like the one I have 

 just given, with many^a remark upon my own exploits, the 

 fame of which had come from Guelma and Bone, and which 

 the good natured natives had the frankness to say they utterly 

 disbelieved. 



How is it possible, they said, that one man, alone, in the 

 night time can slay the same animal that receives twenty-five 

 balls in his body without being killed, and even when we 

 hunt with horsemen at our backs, in the open day, never lets 

 us off without severe losses. 



I told them it was very easy, that when the lions came to 

 me I waited for them, and when they did not, I went to them. 

 They replied that in that case, the lions at Guelma were very 

 goodnatured. 



I sought the opportunity to join in a hunt, and give the 

 incredulous natives a proof that the Frenchmen were better 

 hunters than Arabs could ever hope to be. The task would 

 be an easy one here, as I would have a comparatively open 

 country, and daylight in which to accomplish that which I 

 had often done in the dark forest, and so I sent for my arms 

 that I had left at Constantine, and went down to pay a visit 



