Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1832-07-03
ALEXANDRIA GAZETTE
NATURAL HISTORY,
From the Spirit ofthe Times.
LION HUNTING.

e Settler at'the Cape, more than century
ogo The first settlement OF the Dutch az cape
Tnwn. was in the year 1852: the site which they
sa,.ct.,l was on the southern edge oil laoie bay'
anil the number of settlers amounted only 10
hundred persons. In hall century-the co'"his's
had greatly increased, aud Had driven the ha'iSe
uo,tsnto,s considerable distance into the inte-
,,r. amongst dry aad barren tracts. ihls Is tne
nrd;nary course of colonization. In l7O3 the
I,nJIrnst. "a local magistrate,) Joseph Sterre-
hero Kupt, proceeded on : journey into the coun-
trv to procure some youn. oxen for the Dutch
Vast India Company; and he has lett very IN
,srestinp Journal of his expedition, which has
Leep translated from the original Dutch and pub
Ii,bed by the Rev. Dr. Philip in mis- truly vaua-
hi. :. Researches in South Africa" The &c
CONT which the I.anddrost gives OF the adven-
,are of his company with lion IS altogether SO
curious that we extract it without abridSement:'-
"Our wagons, which were Obliged to take
circuitUus route. arrived at last. anu we pitched
our tent nusket shot from the kraal; and, having
arranged every thing, went to rest, but we were
soOa disturbed; for about midnight the cattle and
horses, which were standn. between the wagons,
BEGAN to start and run, and one OF the drivers TO
shout. on which every one ran out OF the tent
with his gun. About thirty PAGES from the tent
stooda lion, which. on seeing Us, walked very de-
berately about thirty PAGES farther, behind
small thorn bush, carrying something with HIM
which took to be young OK.
We fired more than sixty shots at that bush,
and pierced it stoutly, without percelSinS any
movement The soatheastwind blew strong, the
sky was clear, and the moon shone very bright, so
that we could perceive every thing at that distance.
After the cattle had Quoted again, and looked
over every thing, missed the sentry from before
the tent. We called as loudly as possible, but
in vain-nobody answered, FROM which con-
cluded that the lion had CARRIED bin oft. Three
men then advanced very cautiously to the bush,
which stood right opposite the door OF the tent,
to see if they could dscoverany thing OF the man,
but returned heller SHELTER, for the lion, who was
there still, rose up and began to roar. They
found there the musket Of the sentry, which was
cooked, aud also his cap and shoes.
ave fired again about a hundred shots at the
bush. which was 60 PAGES from the wagons, and at
which we were able IL point as at target, with
out perCewins any thing of the liou. from which
we concluded, that he was killed mr. had run away.
This induced The markSman, Jan StaRansZ. Il
90 and see II he was there still or not, taking
with him hre-brand. But as soon as he APP
preached the bush, the lion roared terribly, and
Ieaped at him. on which he threw the fire brand
at him; and the other people having fired about
tel suOto, ne IclitSu W piaSc
behind the bush.
"The fire brand which he had thrown at the
tnn. had fallen ia the midst Of the bush, and, IA
SOred by the strong southeast wind, 1t began to
burn with u great flame, SO that we could see We
ry clearly into and through it. We continued
our firing into it; the night passed away, aud the
day BE-. 4. to break. which animated every one 10
aim at Ike lion, because he could not 90 FROM
thence without exposing himself entirely, as the
bush stood directly against steep kof Seven
men, posted on the furthest wagons, watched him
to take aim at him If be should come out.
AT last, before it became quite light, he
walked up the hill with man in his mouth, when
about forty shots were fired at him without hit.
ting him, although some were very near. Every
time this happened, he turned round towards the
tent, and came roaring towards US; and | am of
opinion that ii he had been hit, he would have
rushed on the people and the tent.
when 1t became broad daylight we perceiy-
cd by the blood aud piece Of the clothes of the
man. that the lion had taken him away, aud car
ricd him with him. We also found behind the
bush the place where the lion had been keeping
The nan, and it appeared impossible that no ball
should have hit him, as we found in that place
several balls beaten fiat. We concluded that he
was wounded, aud not far from this. The PEG
PIE therefore, requested permission to 90 in
search OF the mans corpse, in order to bury it,
surprising that, from our continual firing, the lion
could not have had time TO devour much of it
gave permission to some, on condition that they
should take good party Ut armed iIottentots
with them, aud made them promise that they
Woald not run into danger, but keep good look
cut and b. circumspect.
on this seven OF them, assisted by forty-three
armed Ho,tentots, followed the track, and found
'ae lion about league further on, lying behind
aittle bush. On the shout OF the Hottentots he
'pransup and ran away, on which they all pur-
sued him. At last, the beast turned round and
rushed, roaring terribly, amongst the crowd
Inc people, fatIgued and out of breath with the
running, hredand missed him, ON which he made
directly towards them. The captain, or chief
mead OF the kraal, here did brave act in aid of
l"o OF the people whom the lion attacked. The
gun OF one of them missed fire, and the other