It may be doubted whether lions are to be found anywhere north
of the Atlas to-day, though they were common enough in times past, and one
is said to have been shot close to Tangier in the middle of last century.
If they still exist it is in the farthest Atlas range, in the country of
the Beni M'gild, a district that cannot be approached from the west at
all, and in far lands beyond, that have been placed under observation
lately by the advance-columns of the French Algerian army, which does not
suffer from scruples where its neighbour's landmarks are concerned. Most
of the old writers gave the title of lion or tiger to leopards, panthers,
and lemurs; indeed, the error flourishes to-day.
[Illustration: A COUNTRYMAN]
On the road once again, I found myself wondering at the way in which
British sportsmen have neglected the Argan Forest. If they had to reach it
as we did, after long days and nights in a country that affords little
attraction for sportsmen, it would be no matter for wonder that they stay
away. But the outskirts of the forest can be reached from Mogador at the
expense of a five-mile ride across the miniature Sahara that cuts off Sidi
M'godol's city from the fertile lands, and Mogador has a weekly service of
steamers coming direct from London by way of the other Moorish ports.
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