Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1856-12-03


dissipate.
Then l saw, gradually, first a paw
and, heavens what a paw for living
beast-then a shoulder, then the dishev
elled name. and at last the whole lion
stretched cut on his side without sign of
life.
Beware! dent go near him J" shout
ed Bou Aziz, as he threw a large stone
at the body; it fell on his head and
bounced off he did not move, tie lion
lgaS dead.
That was the evening Of the eighth of
July, one thousand eight hundred and
forty four.
Without giving ME time to approach
my prize, the Arabs sprang upon me
like two mad men, and l was nearly
thrown down and crushed by their tran
sports OF JOY and gratitude. After me
came the lions turn; and they over
whelmed him with recriminations and
blows, and then from time to time fred
their guns in the air to spread The glad
lidings TO the distant douars. After
they had leaped and gambolled, and
hurrahed over the animal, was permit
ted to draw near him, and examine him
at my ease, 10 look at the size of his
teeth, and TO measure the strength of his
limbs. and place my hand on his tawny
name. had no difficulty in recogniz-
ing him by the Arab description of the
venerable.
To give an idea of This lion, it will
suffice me 10 say that the united strength
of US three men was not sufficient to turn
him over as he lay, and that his head
was so heavy that l could scarcely lift
it from the earth.
With the echoes from the reports oi
my companions guns, came the distant
sound of musketry now here and now
there, as the signal was rung from doual
to douar, around the whole base of the
mountain, until at last it was genera
fuslliade. In about an hour, the Arabs
came in on foot and horseback, hurTyine
forward to touch and insult foe that hat
chilled their very souls while living
After great efforts, we at length were
enabled to pu: the lion on two mules
placed side by side, and in this manne
marched 1own the mountain. 1t wa
about midnight when we reached th'
douar. and made our triumphal entry
by the light of huge bon6res with tn,
sound Of music and of guns, and the wo
men chanting the war-song TO the clip
ping of their hands. The body of th,
fallen king was laid out in state on ma
between two fires, and the whole popu
lation of the country marched in front O
him in stately procession, that the!
might admire and apostrophize tn
mighty dead, and all night long ant
until the snrise of the morrow, high revs
| and royal wake was held in all tn
tents for the lion of FL Archioua.
Early in the morning left for Guel
ma, accompanied by thousand heart
,, felt benedictions. The hatred of th
women had fallen With the lion, an,
now they were more grateful and arden
in their affection than the men, and the,
all desired to enrich me by gifts of ca;
tie aud herds. The proposition that wa
made to me by the Arabs reminded m
of a custom in force in some Of the de
partments of France, where a hunte
who has killed wolf is in the habit {
marching from village to village, an
the farmers and cultivators pay tribut
as he passes.
The Arabs wanted me before leaving
, to visit all the douars scourged by til
lion in order to receive beef from ever
! tent. The offer was made in perfet
good faith, as they proposed TO com
mence with themselves, and to sen
, horsemen with me to drive my herd
to Guelma after the body of the lion.
Il.
I 1 could have entered the city thi
evening if l had accepted their generou
offer, with a thousand head of horne
t cattle believing victory. 1 preferre
/, entering with my lion.
You were rich man to refuse thi
I gift worth hundred thousand francs,
o hear you say.
Heavensl no, l was poor as job br
does not a payment destroy the worth {
4 a good act? Yes, or no, have refuse
the same offer a hundred times sine
e then. and never yet regretted my dc
cision.
n Nevertheless, we marched on toward
Guelma as fast as the weight of the lioT
/. the resistance Of the frightened animal
| that carried it, and the curiosity of tn
thousands Of Arabs who came out to Sc
the cortege, would permit. Already tn
f distant walls of the city arose from th
o sandy plain, when l saw a horsema
coming at full run, with man benin
e him on The crupper. Having reache
y the procession, The mounted man benin
slid to the earth, and 1 recognized tn
old man 70 whom l had promised th
lions beard, who had come to deman
. the honor.
The execution was had on the spot
e and was as happy in being able I