The Illinois free trader and LaSalle County commercial advertiser. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1841-1843, 1843-09-22
From Mohat's Missionary Labors in Africa.
An Exciting Story.

n" ExcftnS story.
The following fact will show the fear
lul dangers to which solitary travellers
are some times exposed. A man belong
ing to MIR. Soumen's congregation, at
Bethany, returning homewards from
visit to his friends, took circuitous
course in order to pass a small fountain,
or rather pool, where he hoped to kill an
antelope 10 carry home TO his family.
The sun had risen TO some hight by the
time he reached the spot, and seeing no
game, he laid his gun down on a shelving
rock, the back part of which was covered
over with a species of dwarf thorn bushes.
lie went to the water, took a hearty drink,
and returned to the rock, smoked a pipe,
and being little tired, fell asleep.
Ia a short time, the heat of the rock
awoke him, and opening his eyes, he
saw large lion crouching before him,
with his eyes glazing in his face, and
within little more than yard of his feet.
He sat motonless for some minutes, till
he had recovered his presence of mind,
then cycling his gun, moved his hand
slowly towards 1t; the lion seeing him,
raised his head, an gave tremendous
roar; he made another and another at
tempt, but the gun being far beyond his
reach, he gave it up, as the lion seemed
well aware of his object, and was engaged
whenever he attempted to move his hand.
His situation now became painful in the
extreme the rock on which he sat be-
came so hot that he could scarcely bear
his naked feet to touch it, and kept NOV
ing them, alternately placing one above
the other.
The day passed, and the night also,
but the lion never moved from the spot
the sun rose again, and its inience heat
soon rendered his feet past feeling. A,
noon the lion rose and walked TO the wat
err only few yards distant, and looking
behind as it went, lest the man should
move, and seeing him streach ont his hands
to take his gun, turned in rage, and was
on the point of sprIngng upon him. The
animal went to the water, drank, and re-
turning lay down again al the edge of the
rock. Another night passed the man
describing it, said he knows not whether
he slept, but if he did it must have been
with his eyes open, for he always saw
the lion at his feet. Next day, in the
forenoon, the animal went again to the
water, and while there he listened to
some noise apparently, from an opposite
quarter, and disappeared in the bushes.
The man now made another effort,
and seized his gun; but on attempting to
raise, he fell, his ANGLES being without
power. With his gun in his hand, he
crept towards the water and drank, but
looking at his feet, he saw, as he express
ed it, his "toes roasted" and the skin
torn off with the grass. There he sat
few moments expecting the lions return,
when he resolved to send the contents of
the gun through his head; bu, as he did
not appear, tying his gun on his back the
poor man made the best of his way on
his hands and knees to the nearest path
hoping some lonely individual might pass
He could go no further, when providen-
tally person came up who took him TO
a place of safety, from whence he obtain
ed help, though he lost his toes and was
cripple for life.
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