the ban of the council, and sooner or later was certain to be
disgraced. The resources of the state were devoted not to the needs of
the country but to aggrandizement and enriching of the members of the
committee.

Heavy as were the imposts which were laid upon the tributary peoples of
Africa for the purposes of the state, enormous burdens were added by the
tax gatherers to satisfy the cupidity of their patrons in the council.
Under such circumstances it was not to be wondered at that Carthage,
decaying, corrupt, ill governed, had suffered terrible reverses at the
hands of her young and energetic rival Rome, who was herself some day,
when she attained the apex of her power, to suffer from abuses no
less flagrant and general than those which had sapped the strength of
Carthage.

With the impetuosity of youth Malchus naturally inclined rather to the
aspirations of his kinsman Giscon than to the more sober counsels of his
father. He had burned with shame and anger as he heard the tale of the
disasters which had befallen his country, because she had made money
her god, had suffered her army and her navy to be regarded as secondary
objects, and had permitted the command of the sea to be wrested from her
by her wiser and more far seeing rival.

As evening closed in the stir in the neighbouring camp aroused Malchus
from his thoughts, and the anticipation of the lion hunt, in which he
was about to take part, again became foremost.

The camp was situated twenty days' march from Carthage at the foot of
some hills in which lions and other beasts of prey were known to abound,
and there was no doubt that they would be found that evening.

The expedition had been despatched under the command of Hamilcar to
chastise a small tribe which had attacked and plundered some of
the Carthaginian caravans on their way to Ethiopia, then a rich and
prosperous country, wherein were many flourishing colonies, which had
been sent out by Carthage.

The object of the expedition had been but partly successful. The lightly
clad tribesmen had taken refuge far among the hills, and, although by
dint of long and fatiguing marches several parties had been surprised
and slain, the main body had evaded all the efforts of the Carthaginian
general.

The expedition had arrived at its present camping place on the previous
evening. During the night the deep roaring of lions had been heard
continuously among the hills, and so bold and numerous were they tha