ARAB STORY OF A LION. 
49 
C£ These sixty Arabs, after having surrounded the 
thickets, gave several shouts, and as the lioness did 
not appear, they entered it and took possession of 
her two cubs. 
tc They were retiring noisily, imagining they had 
nothing more to fear from the mother, when the 
Sheik, Sedek, who was somewhat behind the rest, 
perceived the beast coming out of the wood and 
making directly towards him. 
64 He instantly called out to his nephew, Mecaoud 
and his friend Ali-ben-Braham, who ran to his as¬ 
sistance. The lioness, however, instead of attack¬ 
ing the sheik, who was mounted, rushed upon his 
nephew, who was on foot. 
“ This man bravely awaited her approach, and 
did not pull the trigger until the muzzle of his gun 
touched the beast. 
“ The piece merely flashed in the pan ! 
<c Mecaoud threw down his gun, and presented 
to the lioness his left arm, enveloped in his bour- 
nous. 
“ The beast seized hold of his arm and crushed it 
into a pulp. The brave young man, without re¬ 
treating a single step, and without uttering a com¬ 
plaint, drew a pistol from under his bournous, and 
lodged two balls in the lioness’s belly, which com¬ 
pelled her to let go her hold. 
Ci In another moment she rushed upon Ali-ben- 
Braham, who sent a ball, though without much 
effect, between her distended jaws. He was seized 
by the shoulder and thrown to the ground. His 
right hand is crushed, several of his ribs are laid 
E 
