400 THE LION KILLER. 



more guns that I needed, and while the messenger was gone, 

 we made the necessary preparations for the attack. 



The great body of the Arabs with their women, were scat- 

 tered about the clearing, speculating upon the coming scene, 

 or describing with extravagant gestures the events of the pre- 

 vious evening. I directed one of the mounted Arabs to take 

 his position in the midst of the field, where the lioness would 

 see him when first coming out of the jungle ; and then, the 

 moment she appeared, to ride directly past me, taking an 

 oblique course, that I might have a fair shot at the animal. 

 When the guns came, I loaded them, and giving them to 

 three Arabs, directed them to climb some tall trees that over- 

 looked the bushes, telling them to fire and hurrah when I 

 gave the word of command. My spahi I kept beside me to 

 hand me my second rifle after I should have discharged my 

 first one. When I had taken my seat on a rock in the mid- 

 dle of the opening, and the people saw that I was expecting 

 the lioness, there was a rush and a scramble for securer 

 places. The women clambered like goats on a high rock 

 that stood near, while the men, with more prudence than 

 gallantry, took refuge in the trees. At the word of command, 

 the armed Arabs fired their guns into the bushes. A fierce roar 

 responded. Then a hurrah from the group of men so safely 

 perched in the trees, and the lioness, with another roar, sprang 

 out of the jungle. 



She did not ha,lt for a second, but seeing the cavalier flying 

 from her, charged him without hesitation. As she bounded 

 forward, we noticed she could only use three legs, yet her 

 speed was so great that I had great apprehensions for the 

 Arab she was pursuing, who looked wildly over his shoulder, 

 all the while spurring his horse with might and main. 



When the lioness was about forty paces from me I fired a 

 shot at her head that caused her to stumble badly, and then 

 leaving the horseman, she made a straight line for me. 



