Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1893-11-04
AN ARAB LION HUNT.
Compact Made ny an lmperilled Chieftals
With the King Of Beasta.

With the King Of Beasts.
General Marguerite of tho French
army, who has greatly distinguished
himself in Algeria, where he studied
the Arab character very closely. re-
lates in his memoirs the 70 lowing
curious story Of u lion hunt. 1t il
lustriates the Arab respect for the
lions INTEL 'gence. and also his belief
in the direct Intervention of an
ave;ting power in the affairs OF life.
The story is in the wo DIS Of El- Arbi,
an Arab chief.
Many of our cattle had been stolen
by lion. 1t was necessary TO XIII
him. We knew that his lair was in
certain thickct of cork oaks; and
there the tribe went to destroy the
ravagcr OF our herds.
We left our women on a high rock
near by, and all the men VI the tribe
divided into two ranks, approached
the tbickct, our guns cooked and
at our shoulders. not doubling but
we should be able 20 kill the lion at
the first fire, upon his issuing from
che ticket.
Urged on by the cries of our wo-
men. VIC marched upon the thicket,
AMI paused just before it. Then l
called out II a loud voice: 80 de-
vourcr If cattle. lie out OF youl
lair. Cone uut into the sight ut
mon! Your day OF reckoning is
he G."
but the lion made no answer.
Sometimes it is 50. my lord; yon have
to repeat the invitation.
''In not be a dog" called to the
lion. III yGu are man, come out,
says
TO give force to my words, threw
q stone into the Lhicket; and SO did
several OF my companions.
instantly VIC heard roar as OF
thantlcr, and the lion was upon us
like Il stroke Of lightning. We fired,
but the lion did not appear to hear
or feel the shots He sprang, I'M
harmed straight upon three OF our
men, and bore them down to the
ground beneath him; they were Ben
Meftab, Bcn-Smail, and my uncle
Rabah, who was at the bottom of the
heap
The rest OF our men turned to fly,
and was with them: but from the
rock heard the cry OF my cousin
Aichia, to whom l was betrothed:
80 El-ArDi. Save my father! Save
him, or else l will never look at you
again!"
turned back upon the lion. re-
solved to give my life for Aloha il
need be. had u charge in my gun,
but approached closely. intending
not to fire until / should be sure |
should not hit either of the three
men whom the beast had beneath his
teeth and claws.
But at the moment when, three
yards away. was taking aim at his
head, the lion left his prey and
leaped upon me and knocked my gun
out OF my hands. Thus disarmed l
ran; but the lion was close behind
me, and would surely leap upon my
back and crush me to the earta.
Close by there was large tree
which had been felled. Its branches
were still upon it. Just before the
lion would have struck me down. l
crawled beneath the trunk of this
tree. and the lion fell upon that in.
stead of ME, tearing its bark with
his teeth and claws.
Then 1 heard a great wall go up
from my relatives and from Aicha.
who regarded me as dead already: for
how should escape the lion now?
He was searching under the trunk
of the tree with his terrible paws i
felt them touch me, and felt, too,
his hot and fetid breath. UeirOared
SO terribly that the air seemed full of
thunder, and then paused, his fore
feet on the ground on one side of the
tree trunk, his hind feet on the
other
What should do There is but
one thing to do in such situation
10 invoke the aid of the Prophet. I
did so, and he put an inspiration into
my mind.
You have heard, it may be, that a
lion can understand the words OF a
man if they are spoken with a certain
tenderness of tone. l spoke thus to
the lion.
20, Sultan Of beasts, you are the
strong est and bravest of beings; be
also generous to your vanquishcd en-
envy! II YOU will let me live. / call
Allah TO witness that l will never
again attack you, nor any one OF your
race!"
The lion, as if he had understood
and accepted the compact, rOared
once more, and then got off the tree
and walked slowly away to the forest
casting one look back at me.
| was overjoyed. but did not get
out from under the tree as long as
the animal was in sight. When he
had disappeared in the wood / ran
out and found that Ben Meftab YVES
dead, with his head quite crushed,
and Ben-Smail was also dying, with
many wounds; but my uncle Rabah
bad received but a few slight hurts
though the crushing weight caused
him to faint
And since that time 1 have kent
my word with the lion. The beast