Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1860-11-06

Extraordinary Arabian Story of the King
of Beasts-A Lion Fascinntes n Lover and
Destroys Him with his Mistress, and
Three of Her Protectors.
Not long ago, says an Arabian traveller,
young man named Seghir, belonging to the
tribe of the Amamera, established in the
Aures Mountains, fell in love with a young
girl who had been refused to him by her
father on account of his poverty. The young
people, however, were much attached to
each other, and one fine evening the young
girl ran away with her lover.
The distance being considerable between
the two douars, and the road extremely per-
ilous Seghir had armed himself from head to
foot. Already the most dangerous part Of
the road had been cleared, and they were
beginning to hear the dogs of the douar to-
ward which they were advancing, when, all
at once, lion, who, till that moment had
lain behind the bushes, rose and walked
straight toward them, .r, ..-,
The young girl shrieked so fearfuIly that
her cries were heard by the people in the
tents, and several of the men Immediately
seized their arms and rushed to the rescue
When they reached the spot to which they
were directed by the screams of the young
maiden, they saw the lion walking slowly a
steadily fixed upon him, and leading him to-
ward the forest
The young girl did all she could to prevent
her lover following the lion, or to induce
him to let go his hold of herself, but in vain
he hept dragging her on in spite of all her
efforts, saying: ... ....
"Come, my beloved, come our master
will have it so; we must gol
but your weapons, she cried; "what are
they good for, if not to save me 2"
"Weapons have none,n answered the
fascinated wretch. "Great lord, believe her
/ not; she lies; l am perfectly unarmed, and
will follow you wherever you willP
AT this moment, the Arabs, eight or ten in
number, who had come to the rescue of the
unfortunate couple, seeing that the lion
would very soon have them in the forest
fired, every one of them, upon him; but, on
finding that he did not fall, they took to their
| heels. The lion sprang upon Seghir, and
with one bound, crushed him to the earth
smashing his head at bite; after which he
lay down by the side of the young girl
placing his huge paws upon her knees.
The Arabs, now, finding that the lion did
not condescend to pursue them, took courage
and returned, and, having reloaded theil
guns, again prepared to fire; but being
afraid of killing the girl, they told her to try
| and get little away from the lion, which he
allowed her to do, without, however, losing
sight of her. -Tir-r- .-l'y....
The moment the guns of the Arabs wert
/ levelled at him, the lion sprang into th
midst of them, seized one of them with hi
teeth and two others with his claws, drag
ging them thus together, so as to make, as /
were, one bundle; then placing under hiu
that mass of palpitating flesh, he Instant!
smashed the three heads as he had done tina
of Seghir. Those who had escaped ran OF
to the douar, and related what they had wit
messed, but no one was bold enough to returl
to another attack. The lion then took hol
of the woman and carried her off into tn
forest.
Next day they came to carry away th
bodies of the four men; as to the young CIR
nothing was found but her hair, her feet, an
her clothes. All the rest was devoured.
Is it then really true that the lion has th
power of fascinating the weak organizatio
of certain men, to the extent of forcing thel
to follew him? All can say, is, that ever
Arab have interrogated on the subject hf
answered me in the affirmative, and quote
a number Of examples in support of his a
sertion. -,...