Bedouin Tribes of the Euphrates

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1879 edition. Excerpt: ... LION DISTRICT OF THE EUPHRATES. 77 CHAPTER VII. "Now the hungry lion roars, And the wolf behowls the moon." Lion District of the Euphrates.--The Afiiddli Hunters.--A Bedouin Barnum.-- The Kaimakam of Rakka.--A Wild Ass.--Sport in the Tamarisk Jungle.--A Wonderful Horse.--We arrive at Deyr. We have been riding to-day along a narrow track between the cliff--which is here very abrupt, and composed in part of white marble -- and a dense jungle of tamarisks, overgrown and matted together into huge thickets by brambles and honeysuckles. This seems to be some miles deep, and is said to be much frequented by wild beasts. It was just here that, three years ago, a Bedouin of the name of Bozan was killed and eaten by a lion. The lion of the Euphrates, or Babylonian lion, is not usually a dangerous beast; but every now and then there is one which, having accidentally tasted human flesh, becomes a man-eater, just as tigers do in India. These are much feared by the Arabs; and on this particular occasion the friends of the man killed seem to have behaved with great cowardice. They were Khryssa Arabs, an Anazeh tribe, and were riding home one evening in a party of half a dozen, when they observed a lion following them. Bozan was the only one of the party with fire-arms, the rest carrying the usual Anazeh lance; and he, out of bravado, fired his pistol at the lion, who growled and disappeared, and the party went on their way without hurrying, or, indeed, thinking anything more of the matter; but about half an hour later, it being then nearly dark, the Arabs heard a shriek, and found that Bozan, who was riding last, as they were going along the narrow track in single file, was missing. They were frightened, and, without more ado, galloped away. In the...