ed breast, while large tears
flowed down her fair face.

On the third day, it was clear that the fears of all were not idle.
The Ouzden, Ammalat's companion to the chase, crawled with difficulty,
alone, into Khounzakh. His coat was torn by the claws of some wild
beast; he himself was as pale as death from exhaustion, hunger, and
fatigue. Young and old surrounded him with eager curiosity; and
having refreshed himself with a cup of milk and a piece of _tchourek_,
[19] he related as follows:--"On the same day that we left this place,
we found the track of the tiger. We discovered him asleep among the
thick hazels--may Allah keep me from them!"

[Footnote 19: "Tchourek," a kind of bread.]

Drawing lots, it fell to my chance to fire: I crept gently up, and
aiming well, I fired--but for my sorrow, the beast was sleeping with
his face covered by his paw; and the ball, piercing the paw, hit him
in the neck. Aroused by the report and by the pain, the tiger gave a
roar, and with a couple of bounds, dashed at me before I had time to
draw my dagger: with one leap, he hurled me on the ground, trode on
me with his hind feet, and I only know that at this moment there
resounded a cry, and the shot of Ammalat, and afterwards a deafening
and tremendous roar. Crushed by the weight, I lost sense and memory,
and how long I lay in this fainting fit, I know not.

"When I opened my eyes all was still around me, a small rain was
falling from a thick mist ... was it evening or morning? My gun,
covered with rust, lay beside me, Ammalat's not far off, broken in
two; here and there the stones were stained with blood ... but whose?
The tiger's or Ammalat's? How can I tell? Broken twigs lay around ...
the brute must have broken them in his mad boundings. I called on my
comrade as loudly as I could. No answer. I sat down, and shouted
again ... but in vain. Neither animal nor bird passed by. Many times
did I endeavour to find traces of Ammalat, either to discover him
alive, or to die upon his corpse--that I might avenge on the beast
the death of the brave man; but I had no strength. I wept bitterly:
why have I perished both in life and honour! I determined to await
the hour of death in the wilderness; but hunger conquered me. Alas!
thought I, let me carry to Khounzakh the news that Ammalat has
perished; let me at least die among my own people! Behold me, then;
I have crept hither like a serpent. Brethren, my head is before you:
judge me as Allah i