Show A lion adventure in algeria I 1 was roused by a something om ething and felt a pain in T my y head arid and directly afterward I 1 received a b low blow on the head through the side of the tent which made me think for a in moment 0 merit that I 1 had been struck struck b by an iron bar with claws atthe at the end m which aich f 1 carried with me in my wagon but in an instant that idea flashed across roe me that it was a lion which was sniffling at me through the back of the tent if I 1 remained where I 1 was without moving there was the probability of the beast tearing up tip the tent and dragging me through on f the be other hand band an attempt to moe moi e closer to the fire donld probably be detected as the lion has the same characteristics as the cat and would doubtless have sprung u upon 0 roe me I 1 in that case and have carried me 0 off while hesitating what to do the animal most likely I 1 from not being able any longer to feel a any ny ing thing through the wall of the tent austh ave turned away for after what was in fact but a few moments but which seemed a very long time there was a terrible shriek followed by a low deep growling then a shot and a louder growl I 1 felt about for my revolver which I 1 had placed beside my head before going goin to sleep and creeping round the tent I 1 saw t the t e horrid harri beast standing perfectly still with glaring eyes and continuing the same low deep growling and holding in his mouth the body of a roan man which he be occasionally sio nally lowered on the ground as aa it if with the intention of taking a firmer hold but entirely letting go of it I 1 saw by bv the direction of his look that he had caught sight me and d so terrible were the associations eo connected noted with the beast in my mind that I 1 dared not move or breathe tor for some seconds when the thought suddenly occurred to me that it must be the body of 0 hamed that he held in his mouth my liking tor for this man had become so strong that the desire to rescue or avenge him drove every feeling of fear out of my inq mind and with a steady film aim I 1 fired at his body just behind the shoulder sin singularly enough although I 1 kne knew I 1 had hit bit him he merely gave a loud growl and remained stationery without relaxing big hold ot of the arabs bode body how long he would have remained in in t thia S tate state of immobility I 1 cant say but I 1 was just about to try the effect of a second shot u ichen hen a regular volley of guns were fired from out of the darkness the beast sprang forward toward me almost at the same instant that I 1 felt a sharp stinging sensation in in the upper tipper part of byrm and fell to the ground so close to me that I 1 stepped back to avoid a blow from his big paws in in big is death struggles they did not last long ant as soon as they were over I 1 fetched a lighted brand from the fire and first holding it to the face of the dead man to see bee who it was and feeling much relieved at finding it was not harried hamed I 1 waved it about as a siz si signal Z tor for the others that they might come with safety they soon came and clustered around the body of the dead lion some kicking in it and others spitting on and reviling it and n gd all of them claiming the honor of having killed him a claim that they seemed far car more mora interested in in defending than in commiserating the fate of their dead companion i all ll 11 the efforts we made to release the latter unfortunate from the iams isms laws of the lion were unav unavailing ailing without having recourse to our knives and as there was not the least doubt of his dead for the teet teeth h of the powerful erful br brute te were buried in in his chest and powerful gow back ack we ve determined on leaving both bodies where they were until daylight the first thing I 1 did when I 1 awoke was wag to look forthe for the bodies of the arab and lion they were lying where th the e beast had bad fallen in the night and his stiffened jaws still held the body of the man as in in a powerful vice the desire of preserving a record of the event tor for my fr friends lend in in england to look at was too strong to be resisted so BO we set to work cut three pieces of timber to a point and having raised the lion to an upright position kept him u up pl by means of the pieces of wood w 1 to 0 cancea conceal these I 1 planted a shrub here and there which had bad the desired effect and the result I 1 obtained was wag a negative the like of which I 1 believe never was seen the attitude is is as natural as possible and makes one shudder to look at it photographic news |