382 THE LION KILLER. 



CHAPTER XXXII. 



A LION HUNT IN THE VALLEY OF OURTEN, AND THE TRAGICAL 

 FATE OF AMAR-BEN-SIGHA. 



On the 17th day of July, 1853, I entered the beautiful 

 valley of Ourten. 



The pole of my tent had scarcely been set, before the 

 people of the country crowded around to welcome me, and 

 tell sad tales of the old lion that ruled over all that district. 

 I learned that since my last visit to this country, the moun- 

 taineers having lost all loyalty under the load of his oppres- 

 sions, had assembled to the number of three hundred to 

 bring him to reason, and either to force him to abdicate, or 

 to inflict upon him the extreme penalty of the law. The 

 parliament opened at sunrise, at noon five hundred cartridges 

 had been burned, at sunset the meeting was prorogued, the 

 rebels carrying with them from the field, six wounded men 

 and one dead body, and his majesty continued to reign as 

 before. 



Among my visitors was one Sidi-Amar, a Saga of great 

 repute in the Ourten country, and he favored me with his 

 blessing and prophecy in these terms. 



" The Great God will smile on thy arms. Within three 

 sans our wives and our children shall assemble under this 

 tree to count the teeth of the lion — the curse of the prophet 

 be with him — and to kiss the hand of our benefactor." 



If I had fully confided in the predictions of this holy 



