354 MAMMALIA. 



suffered the most, he alone had lost the large number of twenty- 

 nine Oxen, forty-five Sheep, and several Mules and Mares. It is 

 necessary, however, to mention that this unfortunate individual 

 had. fixed his abode in the least inhabited part of the district, 

 and which really appeared more made for Lions than men. If 

 we figure to ourselves a corner of arable ground on the slope of 

 the most thickly wooded and rugged mountain, where the sun 

 never penetrated, we have an idea of the locality where Lakdar 

 had taken up his residence. I ought to add, however, that he 

 had before his tent a garden planted with fruit trees, and a spring 

 which yielded delicious water — natural resources that all the gold 

 in the world could not, in an Arab's estimation, surj^ass. It was 

 for this reason Lakdar was able to support, with the courage of a 

 stoic, the ravages inflicted on him by the deciniator of his herds. 



" On my arrival at my host's, I was greeted as a saviour. I 

 found the douar surrounded by a hedge six feet high, and about 

 four feet thick ; this the Lion, to obtain his supper, jumped over 

 nearlj' everj' night. I passed several consecutive evenings watch- 

 ing without seeing the hungry visitor. In the daj'time I care- 

 fully examined all the neighbouring haunts, but without success. 



" ' You see,' said Lakdar to me, ' it is sufficient for you to 

 appear and the enemy vanishes ; but as soon as j'ou go away, 

 he will return, and then my last Ox, my brother, my wife, even 

 my child, will all be carried off ! ' 



" ' You must marry among us, and never more go away,' 

 chimed in Lakdar's wife. ' We will search out for you the 

 prettiest maids of the mountain — Gazelles in form and Doves in 

 affection ; choose two or three ; the tribe will give you a fine tent, 

 and flocks and herds, and we shall all be happy, for we shall have 

 peace.' 



" This example of the animosity of the Lion against a single 

 douar, or even a single tent, is not rare 



" .... On the evening of the 26th August, while sitting in 

 the garden observing an old Boar wallowing, Lakdar came and 

 told me that his black Bull had not returned with the herd, 

 and that at day-break he woidd search for its remains. 



" The next morning, on waking up, I foimd my host near me. 

 His face was overspread with joy. 



" ' Conic,' he exclaimed, ' I have found it ! ' 



