444 THE HUNTING GROmTDS 



when an Arab Sheikh came to the caravansary, and 

 informed me that a lion and lioness had killed two 

 cows in his douar the night previous. I immedi- 

 ately mounted, and, accompanied by Mahomed 

 (my servant and interpreter) and a " spahi/' (Arab 

 irregular cavalry trooper,) who carried my spare 

 guns, galloped to the scene of action. The douar 

 consisted of about thirty gourhis, or huts, some 

 thatched, and others made of black camel's-hair 

 cloth, forming the habitation of men, women, chil- 

 dren, cattle, and dogs of every description, from 

 the well-bred " sloghee," (Arab greyhound,) to the 

 yelping, snarling cur. 



About a hundred paces from the douar several 

 vultures were busy picking what remained of the 

 carcasses of the two cows, and, on examination of 

 the ground, I found the footprints of two lions, a 

 hyena, and several jackals and dogs. 



Accompanied by the " wakeef," or head man of 

 the douar, I went to a hill, about eleven miles' dis- 

 tance, where they said the lion» had been seen to 

 go; but after a long search found no pugs, so I 

 returned once more to the douar. Here I got a 

 drink of sour milk, and again examined the ground 

 where the cattle had been killed. After some little 

 difficulty, I got upon the trail of the two lions, 

 (which was in places partially obliterated by the 

 footprints of men and cattle,) and followed it up 

 hill and down dale for some eight miles, when, in a 

 deep and densely-wooded ravine, I found the lair. 



