The Sentinel. [volume] (Trenton, N.J.) 1880-1882, 1882-02-25
Blockaded by a Lion.

'sNow, monsieur" Gays old Major
De Launay, pointing to the vast jun
gle of monstrous reeds fringing the
African coast far as the eye can reach,
q the Tunis steamer heads seward
out of Bona Harbor, 'if you want
some sport, take gun and go In
among those reeds, and you may be
sure of not having long to wait before
you find yourself face to face with q
Hon.
IA lion ?" echo I. why, /
thought they had all been killed off
long ago."
$50 they have everywhere else along
the coast but just here, as you see,
It's wild kind OF country, and Nom
pieur Yellowmane has it all bis own
way. There are plenty of brave fell
lows among our Arabs here, and we
Frenchmen don't consider ourselves
towards but / can tell you that you
won't find man in all this district,
Arab or French, who would go
through those reeds after pight-fall;
no, not if you were to offer him a
thousand francs"
"Weuldn't you do it yourself, then,
II. De Launay?" ask /, rather sur
prised at such an avowal from q man
whose reckless courage is proverb
throughout the length and breadth Of
Algeria.
mo, that I wouldn't" answers the
old soldier, emphatically, "I've
tried 1t once already, and can prom
lee you I won't easily forget how that
adventure ended. Would you like to
hear the story Well, then, here it is
for you.n
The following is the narrative, given
In the words of Msjo De Launay:
"Eome thirty years ago, when 1
was good deal nimbler than I am
now (and good deal sillier too. Pm
afraid), q lot of Us were quartered at
Bona, with nothing much to do ex-
cept taking charge Of some stores; and
as always happens with young officers
when there's not enough duty on
hand to keep them steady, we weren't
. long in getting into mischief. One
day at mess somebody brought up this
story of the reed jungle, and how no
one dared go into it, and we all began
joking each other about who should
be the man to face the lions.
"De Launay's the one to do it !"
cried Alphonse st. Folk, young su b
lieutenent. Hes afraid of nothing.
Don't you remember how he led the
assault ut Constantine
ut would hardly be fair trial,
though" said our senior Major, in his
polite way ''for the lions would un
doubtedly let him pass as one of them
selves"
"Or if he were to put on a lions
hide" chimed in Claude Latour (who
must have his joke, whatever happen
ed), they'd never find him out SO
long - he didn't bray"
At that there was a general laugh,
which put me out SO much that (more
shame for me) I fairly lost my temper.
"Well," cried I, springing up. "for
that one word I'll go and do the thing
this very night, and then it shall be
seeu which of US Is the lion, and which
the ass.
agreed! agreed !" shouted all,
elapping their HANDS, and hallooing
like madmen.
But poor Claude looked quite chop
fallen, for he had never intended to
push the joke SO far, and the moment
we rose from the table he came up to
me and held out his hand.
..For Heavens sake, Henri, said he,
don't 60 and get yourself killed just
for that foolish joke of mine, which l
ought to have bitten my tongue off
,ooner than utter. I never dreamed
you'd take 1t SO seriously, and Pm
heartily sorry to have vexed YOU"
answered not . word, but just
looked him straight in the eyes for q
moment, and then turned my back
and walked off. Many time have l
been sorry for it since then, for the
poor fellow was killed by those rascally
Kabyles (Arabs) . few months later !;
bat one always repents of these things
too late.
Well, night came at last, and every
.sace, who wasn't on duty turned out
to see me start. 1t had been arranged
that was to set offa little after mid
night, and that my comrades were to
- me into the jungle st . point close
= The -, and then come e meet me