CHASSE- BY AGGAJEERS. 
149 
flashed from their sheaths. In an instant the horses 
were at fall speed, sweeping over the level ground. 
The lion had not observed us, but on hearing the 
sound of the hoofs, he halted and raised his head, 
regarding us for a moment with wonder, as we rapidly 
decreased our distance, when, thinking retreat ad¬ 
visable, he bounded off, followed by the excited 
hunters, as hard as the horses could be pressed. 
Having obtained a good start, we had gained upon 
him, and we kept up the pace until we arrived within 
about eighty yards of the lion, who, although he 
appeared to fly easily along like a cat, did not equal 
the speed of the horses. It was a beautiful sight; 
Aggahr was an exceedingly fast horse, and having 
formerly belonged to one of the Hamran hunters, 
he thoroughly understood his work. His gallop 
was perfection, and his long steady stride was as 
easy to himself as to his rider ; there was no neces¬ 
sity to guide him, as he followed an animal like a 
greyhound, and sailed between the stems of the 
numerous trees, carefully avoiding their trunks, and 
choosing his route where the branches allowed 
ample room for the rider to pass beneath. In about 
five minutes we had run the lion straight across the 
plain, through several open strips of mimosa, and we 
were now within a few yards of him, but unfor¬ 
tunately, just as Taher and Abou Ho dashed forward 
in the endeavour to ride upon either flank, he sprang 
down a precipitous ravine, and disappeared in the 
thick thorns. 
“ This ravine formed a broad bottom, which, 
covered with dense green nabbuk, continued for a 
