Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1872-10-04
Lions in Algeria.

hunters. AS oil know, IL Is tht
scene of the exploits of Gerard
";Atueure oes lions" Many stories
arc told by the natives of the cum,
ming and bravery of the lion, and
Of the skill and daring Of his cap
tors.
Ono evening, near Lambessa, a
French officer discovered a lion
feasting upon his dog. As the lat
ter was chained to the spot the lion
could not carry it off. This sug'
gested the tying Of a similar bait to
post, while several officers would
await the coming of his majesty in
an old Roman tomb, strongly built
of stone, and capable of holding
four men. They pierced the walls
with four loop-holes for musketry,
and posted themselves within, the
first moonlight night.
The first lion that appeared they
fred upon and wounded, and this
SO exasperated tie beast that he
rushed upon the monument, and
tore Off and boat the stones with 20
much violence and rage, that those
within feared for their safety. For
time, as he stormed their citadel
at rate too lively to bring their
guns to bear upon him, they were
unable to act upon the defensive;-
but at length well-directcd shot
brought him helpless to the earth
and the siege was ended.
Another story is told, which may
suit the creduleus:
One night = lion approached .
horse which was tied to post, bil
off the leather tie-strap, held the
end in his mouth, and trotted OF
with the horse to the forest to eat
him at his leisure. The horse moi
moving as fast or as willingly as
his sagacious leader wished, the
latter would at intervals quicker
his pace by q stroke Of his own tail
which he would swing around like
. lash for this express purpose
The French officer who professes te
have witnessed this strange occur
rance, is said to have insisted upor
its truth with tears, one day wher
his companions laughed at it as
good joke in its way.
The Rev. Joseph w. Blakeslcy
an English traveller in Algeria, re-
lates tho following;
Two French soldiers, who hao
been in the village for some pur
pose or other, set off one day t.
proceed to Ell Arouch, scttlemen
on the road between Phillippevill'
and Constantine, to which there il
a direct route from Jemappes by
path through the bush. They die
not start together, and the one wh'
commenced the journey first wa
much intoxi. ated. After proceed
ing some distance, in the course Q
doing which he lost his sword, h
felt much overcome by fatigue, ant
stretching himself out on the gras
fell into q sound sleep. His com
panion, who was perfectly sober
followed after him a time, picket
up his saber, and at last found thu
slumberer on the grass. He gav'
him a kick and called upon him t.
get up, when to his horror, ther'
rose up-not ~ man, but a hug
lion, that lay crouched by his side
which he had taken for part of tn
trunk of a tree covered with grass
The sober man instantly ran off
under the impression that his com
rade had been destroyed by the an
imal, after losing his sword, in al
unsuccessful combat with it; bu
the lion, instead of pursuing him
resumed his place by the side of tn
still sleeping man. After tim
the latter awoke, too, and got upo1
his legs, much astonished at tn
company he had been keeping
The lion also arose, but without an,
sign of ferocity; and when the sol
der set off on his route, accompa
MED him, walking close by his sid
for several miles, as far as the i'm
mediate ncighborhood of Ell Arouch
where, probably because the fores
there ceases, he turned about an
sought his old haunts again.-Ou
Monthly.