Bloomington herald. [volume] (Bloomington, I. T. [Iowa]) 1840-1849, 1842-05-20
AnvrrruRr WITH A L,ossss.-I was quar-

| ApvrrruRE WITH A LioNEss.-I was quar-
tered high up tho country. commanding oe-
tachment, at least fifty miles from any other
| European. NV only recreation was lion-hnnt-
| ing. which occasionly INDUCED in, and sue
ceeded in DESTROYING several Of these superb
| animals, which were here so numerous and so
bold, as often TO approach our tents, and carry
of our provisions.
was thus amusing myself one morning.
| weIl-mounted on fleet Arad, followed ~
man on foot, and armed with an unerring rihe:
when one of my people suddenly discovered
the prints Of lions paw in the sandy plain
| owes which we were passing, apparently IN
clining towards deep jungle some two nun
dred wards ia advance Of us. instantly DIS
mounted 10 examine the foot-marks. and was
carefully tracing them, when sudden cry Of
terror made me look up. did SO, and behed
/ in front of me magnificent lioness, which
had suddenly bounded out Of the covert. Not
moment was to be lost l sprang towards
my horse; my syce, however, alarmed by the
appearance of the queen of beasts. had quilted
the rein, and before could reach him, the
frightened animal was half across the open
space. NV servants had all fed. l was a.
lone. The ioness was lashng her sides with
| her tail she was evidently meditatlng an at
tack. ] had but one resource left. After vain
! " calling on my servants to return and sup
| port me, levelled my rifle, and, just as she
rushed forward, fired. For single instant
was not quite sure whether | had hit her or
not. She suddenly halted, threw up her head
| ed she was wounded; but, alas: seemingly
not in any mortal part. She glared on me-
Human nature could stand no more. threw
down my gun, and foolishly overcome by fear
fed. In another second was conscious OF
my error. heard her come painting along
close beside me. 1t was all over with me !;
! knew my fate was sealed. | threw myself
down; the lioness actually, in her haste to o.
ve.take me, sprang over me. ! heard shot
and piercing cry from the animal told me
she was again hit bat did not once dare to
look up 10 see how seriously.
| After about half minute, could not resist
the temptation, the desire felt 10 read my
doom. slightly turned my head, only the
least in life, and beheld the lioness licking
her paw, through which ball had evidently
passed the blood was also flowing copiously
from her jaw, where my discharge had in the
| first instance taken effect. She was sitting on
her launches in evident agony. No sooner,
however, did she perceive the very slight
movement which had made than she sprung
up, and in the next moment felt her teeth
penetrate my back bone, while one of her
claws tore my left shoulder bare of flesh; in
the next, she lifted me off the ground, and car
ried me forward. This, however, was evil
IDENTIFY an effort to her. Her wounded jaws
refused to meet but still she held me, scream.
ing, struggling, praying for death. tightly in
her teeth, as she bore me on with the same
ease with which she would have raised kit
| l IN IN fro
seems they feared to do so, lest by accident
they might destroy me instead of the animal.
Alas! little did they know my feelings at that
moment! Instant death, release from the
excruciating tortures | was then suffering,
would have been the greatest favor they could
have conferred on me.
Thus | was carried fer about hundred
yards, when, overcome by pain, the Iioness
dropped me, and laying down, began to lick
the blood which streamed from my wounds.
| could feel her rough tongue as it passed a.
long the bitten parts, and tore open the tooth
marks. could feel her warm breath as she
placed her mouth to my lacerated shoulder.
One grippe more, one single wound in my
throat, to which she was close, and knew all
would be over. even attempted to turn over
to her, to offer it to her jaws. She placed
her paw on the bare bone of my shoulder, and
tolIlHS Hc UdChs duult'S dHotNeIs anu IL posi-
BILE, more acute pang, to my sufferngs. A.
gain she began to suck up my blood as / lay
grooming beneath her.
My servants, suppose, rallied and alarm
ed her; for she suddenly once more started up,
and making her teeth meet in my left arm, be-
gan to drag me away. Good Heaven l fee
even at this moment the same agony l then
endured. In recalling the tortures of that in
slant, almost fancy again experience thu
pain she caused me as she dragged me along
evidently bearing me towards her lair, to feed
her whelps. Suffering as was, l knew al
this; read my doom and shuddered at it,
Twice did the flesh break away from my arm
and twice did she renew her savage hold on
me, and that SO powerfully, that she succeed
&c in getting me inside the Jungle. Here
she paused, unable from pain to proceed furth-
er: Two or three shots were fired at heI
without success. AT length finding her situa.
ton perilcus, and her prey likely to escape
she retired few PAGES, and determining or
one effort, raised herself, and opening hel
huge jaws, suddenly bounded on me. / fell
her teeth, but they closed not; felt her whole
weight on me, but she stirred not. In the
next moment heard human voice. | was
released from the ponderous load, and lifted
up-she lioness lay dead at my feet.
AN ANECDoTE.-We have been half incli
| ned to SUPPOSE that the dsnosition ascr;hed r.