Year: 1862

About 80 years ago, says Jules Jerard, the
great lion hunter, young man named Seghiri
belonging to the tribe of Amamera, establish
ed 10 the Aures mountains, fell 10 love with q
Young girl who had been refused to him By the
father on occoant Of his poverty. The young
people. however. were much attached to each
other, and one fine evening the girl ran away
with her lover The distance being conside-
rable between the two douars and extremely
perilous, 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 towards which they
were rapidly advancing. when, all at once, a
lion, who till that moment had laid conceal
ed behind the bushes. rose and walked straight
towards them. The young girl shrieked SO
iearfully that her cries were heard By the
people in the tents, and several of the men
seized their arms and rushed to the spot to
which they were directed by the screams of
the young maiden, they saw the lion walking
a few PAGES in front of Seghir, with his eyes
steadily fixed upon him, and leading him thus
towards the forest. The young girl did all she
could to prevent her lover following the lion,
or induce him to let 60 his hold Of herself, but
it was in vain he kept dragging her on in
spite of all her efforts. saying: Come, my
beloved, come, our master will have it so, we
must go.' But your weapons she cried,
what are they good for, if not to save me p
Weapons | have none" answered the fasci-
mated wretch great lord, believe her not,
she lies-I am perfectly unarmed, and will fol-
low you wherever you will ~ At this moment
the Arabs, eight or ten in number, who had
come to the rescue of the unfortunate couple,
perceiving that the lion would very soon have
them in the forest, fired every one Of the them,
upon him but on finding that he did not fall,
they took TO their heels. The lion sprang upon
Seghir, aud with one bound crushed him to
the earth, smashing his head at bite; after
which he laid 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 their guns, pre-
pared again 10 fire but being afraid of killing
the gri, they told her to try to get little way
from the lion, which he allowed her to do with
out ever losing sight Of her. The moment the
guns of the Arabs were leveled at him, the lion
sprang into the midst of them, seized one with
his teeth and two others with his claws, drag,
ging them together so as 10 make, as it were,
one bundle then placing under him that mass
of palpitating flesh, he instantly smashed the
three heads as he had done that of Seghir-
Those who escaped ran to the douar and told
the story, but no one was bold enough to
return for another attack The lion then car
ried the woman into the forest. Next day
they came to carry away the bodies of the
four men; as to the young girl, nothing was
found but her hair, her feet and her clothes
Is it true that the lion has the power of fasc-
nation ever weak organizations? All l can
say is. that the Arabs answer to the aflirma-
tive, aud give numerous examples