. Gérôme : the life and works of Jean Léon Gérôme . ingcountry. Suddenly we emerged on the brink of an immense precipice, at thebottom ot which ran a hrook. which we perceived between the trunks ot thepalms and aloes which lined the sides of the ravine. We were therefore obligedto make a horribly steep descent on foot, holding our camels by the bridle andhelping them a-- best we could, this long and difficult descent making tis appre-ciate the heighl to winch we insensibly had climbed ; tor. thinking that wemust he going down at least to the internal regions, we simply reached thenatural level
. Gérôme : the life and works of Jean Léon Gérôme . ingcountry. Suddenly we emerged on the brink of an immense precipice, at thebottom ot which ran a hrook. which we perceived between the trunks ot thepalms and aloes which lined the sides of the ravine. We were therefore obligedto make a horribly steep descent on foot, holding our camels by the bridle andhelping them a-- best we could, this long and difficult descent making tis appre-ciate the heighl to winch we insensibly had climbed ; tor. thinking that wemust he going down at least to the internal regions, we simply reached thenatural level id a charming brook at the picturesque entrance oi the village otFidemine. Our tents were pitched beside this limpid water in a virgin Irom the few village huts which we had seen at the bottom of the ra\ menothing till then had indicated the presence of human beings in this part otthe world. \i our approach, animals of everj description tied away with sacries, as if they were the sole inhabitants. Not a single person having appeared,. LIFE AND WORKS Of JEAN LEOA 147 we organized a watch for the night, to protecl al least our poultry from thebeasts who deafened us with their howlings. Were they wolves or only jackals?The sonority of the ravine increased the effect ol these noises, and, our imaginalion aiding us. we were delighted al the idea of an encounter with really savagebeasts, Our revolvers under our bolsters, some of us slept with one eye open,but after all we got oil with a nuit blanche. The next morning, all these ferociousanimals having assuredly taken Bight al the sighl of our warlike preparations,we took a delicious hath m the very torrent where, during the night, one imag-ined all the lions in the desert were quenching their thirst, in chorus, to excitetheir hunger. We were still in our bath when the \ isit was announced ol theSheikh of Fidemine himself, with his suite and the older members ol his were no longer the merry old fellows
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