1 66 LIFE WITH THE HAMRAN ARABS. 



to have a steady side-shot at a lioness from eighty to a 

 hundred yards off, as she halted when crossing the river's 

 bed in front of us, and merely turned her head in our 

 direction to look at the intruders on her solitude. The ex- 

 press was equal to the occasion, and she fell dead on the 

 spot where she stood from a bullet that entered the chest 

 behind the right shoulder, and passed straight through 

 it. At the same moment a lion sprang out from be- 

 hind some long grass near her, and instantly disappeared 

 again. It is curious to see how much these Arabs dread 

 the lions, for they show no fear of the other animals ; 

 and on this occasion, though Essafi saw me standing 

 over the dead body, he crept up to it stealthily, and ham- 

 strung it with his sword as it lay stretched out at full 

 length. Pleasant as it was to stand over the body of 

 one's first lion, or rather lioness, it was almost disappoint- 

 ing that it had been such a very tame performance, hardly 

 furnishing even any material for the diaries, and it is 

 about time that there should be a startling novelty for 

 insertion. 



During the process of skinning, in which I joined, odo- 

 riferous as was the performance, two shots were heard 

 close to us in the direction of the Abyssinian hills, and 

 I thought they were fired by Vivian ; but on saying so to 

 Essafi he shook his head, and began talking in a very 

 excited manner, frequently pointing to my rifle. Not a 

 word could I understand, and therefore could not solve the 



