DOUBLE SHOT AMONG THE LIONS OF ZERAZER. 3*73 



his hands, with strict injunctions to hand it to me the moment 

 I had fired my two other shots. I held my Devisme rifle 

 to my shoulder, awaiting the action of my foes. 



The first lion came on without halting, until he reached the 

 lowest step of rock and had leaped upon it, he then turned 

 an instant to look for his comrade. 



This movement presented his shoulder to me, and without 

 waiting an instant, I fired. He fell at the shot, struggled to 

 rise, and fell again. He had both shoulders broken. 



The second lion, hearing the report of my gun, and seeing 

 the fall of his comrade, bounded forward, roaring in his 

 loudest tones, his mane and tail waving from side to side, in 

 his rapid course. As he passed his brother he paused for a 

 second, as if to inquire what was the matter, but that halt was 

 fatal to him, for at the instant my second bullet passed 

 through his body just behind his shoulder. 



He fell by the side of the first victim, but recovering 

 himself in a trice, made a wonderful bound that carried him 

 to the very rock on which I was sitting. 



I snatched the other gun from the trembling Arab, and 

 before the lion could make another leap, which infallibly 

 would have hurled him upon me, a bullet had passed 

 through his brain. The muscles of his face quivered, his 

 great hands gradually relaxed their hold of the rock, and he 

 fell back dead. 



The remaining ball gave the coup de grace to the wounded 

 animal that had been first shot, and the greatest hunt that 

 had ever gathered on the Zerazer was ended. 



The day after, the officers of the garrison at Constantine 

 feasted on lions' meat, while the mess-room was hung with 

 the beautiful robes of the fallen kings. 



