THE AFRICAN LION IN ITS NATIVE HAUNTS. 
317 
his mate, apparently with a view to inquire whether her food 
was palatable, she would respond to this delicate attention on 
his part by demonstrations of anger, 'without at all, however, 
disturbing his serenity. 
But the excellent domestic qualities of the wedded lion do 
not end here. When he has attained the felicity of being the 
parent of two or three young ones (the average number of 
young in the family of a pair), he is charged, during the day- 
time, with watching over the safety of all, and at night it is he 
who sets out to the distant plains in pursuit of prey, to furnish 
sustenance to the mother and her young cubs. 
In the performance of this duty, the Hon has recourse to an 
expedient well worthy of the consideration of scientific men, 
and calculated to puzzle those who disbelieve in the magnetic 
power of animals. As the lair inhabited by the lioness and 
her young is always at a considerable distance from the Arab 
encampments, it would be a difficult task for the lion to carry, 
or even to drag, an ox or a horse so far. To avoid this labour, 
he brings home a living animal. Yes, reader, incredible as it 
may appear, the Hon possesses the power of compelhng a bull 
to leave the herd, and can force it to -precede him, in whatever 
direction he pleases, for a whole night, thus leading him into 
the most inaccessible mountains. 
Let me relate a circumstance connected with this power 
possessed by the Hon, of which I was myself an eye-witness, 
my rifle having on that occasion solved the strange problem: — ■ 
In the month of May, 1846, an expedition set out from the 
camp at Guelma towards the frontiers of Tunis, for the purpose 
of chastising a rebellious tribe of Arabs.* At seven in the 
morning of the second day of our march we arrived at the 
banks of a river caUed El Meleh Salee, which flows past the 
foot of a bare precipitous mountain. At this place we halted, 
and Captain (now General) de Tourville ordered the cavalry to 
remain until the infantry and baggage had passed over the hill. 
We had been there about an hour, when we saw a horseman 
gallop back to us at the top of his speed. This horseman was 
a spahi, who formed part of the escort, and having reached the 
leader of the cavalry, we saw him address him with great 
animation and many violent gestures, which led us to believe 
that the vanguard had been, or was about to be attacked. 
Presently, however, I heard my own name frequently repeated, 
as though some one was wanted on a pressing service. I has- 
* M. Gerard was then, and is still, an officer in the French army. His 
early life, and lion-hunting adventures are described in his work, already 
referred to, “ Le Tueur des Lions.” A few lines concerning him will be found 
at the end of this paper. — Ed. 
VOL. II. — NO. VII. Z 
