The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1848-12-11
DArLY CRESCENT.
rom tbe London Sporting Magazine.
~ LIoN HUNT.

A sbout from Nobus cut short our Teproactes.
M, ,.oor WAS found and " Olhe.lO's occupation
Was come hack. There was animation and chat
.eriug in voices soft shrill and rough, and tAees
blnck and white lit up with Joy though none OF
,bsm would be turned from the eagerly sought en-
conuter On the borders Of a Wei, (or pond,l whose
rooidlv shrinking waters left, day by day. llne OF
Inild around them for the sun to bake ana Dry aIu
we found the stitching fooimarks, and thence iar
along the dusty plain their tracks were visible On
ward we fastened all hands impatient for the fray
our Kafir guide even betraying every Intention OF
waiting 10 see the fun. We Were brought up bya
pFecipice from brow TO base, well ngh as perpend-
cular as mauya wall. Cavities and assures in the
rock there were, and here and there an Inequality
hitting forth but foot of white man, ay or Hotien-
lott or Kafr would vainly strive to scale il, even
if urged by the most deadly terror. Yet little on
one side the face Of the pFecpce was broken that
possibly our chase had cOntrved TO scramble down
il at least the Kaiir maintained that he conld as
fineuish more than trace of feet on the gfohnu
beneath, while darker streak along the tail, RANK
grass, which lringsd the edge Of dark hollow near
the spot appeared 10 US all TO Indicate The passage
of some large animal. This hollow, hl1ed WIN
grass and bushes and few trees lining up lhelr
heads 10 see what was passing IN the world Wiihout;
might well be singled out by the lion for his re-
treat during the sultry hours Of day. But he might
have Ieft RI and it would be long detOzr ere we
could hope to descend and reconnoitre, which
made Hays proposition OF endeaVorng TO dislodge
A stone, weighty as two men could lift, was torn
from is comfortable bed, and Hhirled far nlO the
air and down into that wild hollow TO explore ITS
hidden depths With dull, heavy sound it fell.
How we hung over the brink Of the cliff inexpec-
tatiOn A few seconds and the lion emerged frem
his concealment; stalking slowly along the path ne
had already trodden down through the grass. On
gaining the level ground lac stretched himself ont
and, raising his head made the hills and rocks re-
echo far and wide with a terrific roar lie then
lesurely took survey OF the heights by which he
was surrounded. The moment his eye fell upon
us perched high upon our rocky fastness there was
a change in his demeanOr; he shook back his name,
dashed his sides furiousy with his TAIL and appeared,
as one might say, to be gathering himself up for
combat Il seemed dastardly to take a mean adj
vantage Of the noble animal, and sley him from
where we stood, utterly beyond his reach. This
feeling stayed our hands, and for some moments no
gun was raised against him; when, to our amaze
ment, he uttered deep growl, and bounded along
the base Of the cliff towards our left.
+" He flies - " he is coming TO meet u.s. " exclaim-
ed Grattan and Donbeitt in duetto; but at the same
instant a shr cry from beneath, in the direction
of the lions course, drew every one TO the very
brink of the precipice, and revealed another aim.
More than half way down the cliff, where, as
said, il Was least inaccessible, though one might
have Thought the babOOn the leopard could alone
have found safe foaiing, hung Gratans little BUSH
man vino, uHnOticed by any one, and himself
needless of our proceedings, had proved at once his
inherent wildness, and the monkey-like attributes
of his nature by venturing down the cliff 10 exam
inc the doubtful spoor Rash as this would have
been at any time, the danger now was tFebied.
The lions attention was fixed on the trembling lit
tle creature who, parilyZed by terror, chung 10
projecting rock, and uttered piercing cries. More
than one shot was fred hastily and uselessly as the
lion bounded on and we all hurried to the nearest
point above the bushman's dizzy perch but the
lion was at the foot before us, and was already
essaying the ascent Yet TO scale that preeipice
was no Ir1e even to him or another minute would
have ended all poor Wndfogle's tears and sorrows
As t was, one half of his fierce foes work was
done but the intervening space presented greater
difficulty 10 overcome, for which he was straning
every muscle, while the helpless little being but
shrnnk The closer TO the poweress rock, and moved
nor hand nor feet.
WindfogIe Windfoglel rouse yourself boy
Climb You have time enough TO escape him YETI
Moderated Grattan; half beside himself with hOr-
ror at the situation of his faithful and favoriie
attendant.
Loup windfogle, loup!' (sprng) shouted Ko-
has; and twenty other directions and encourage
ments in Dutch and English were showered upon
him. rs all leaned far we dared over the dizzy
pFecipiee TO watch The fearful yet exciting seene
Windtogle locked up at us, and urged by our en-
treaties stretched forth his hand to grasp higher
hold but, CHANGING down again, he shrank back
shuddering, nerveesss and now silent. Mean
while our guns had not been idle; but though ball
him TO greater fury, and increase the eagerness Of
his pursuit; while 10 hit vital part we found inn
possible, for the hushman formed his shield Sew
eral times did Hay, the best marksman of our
party, raise his rifle but often lowered it, unable
TO cover any spot where his bail might tell, and
now he waited intent and anxious for some more
favorable moment Every instant deepened the
intensity of our powerful interest. There, his eyes
glazing, his mouth half-open, and the large rough
tongue shining between the far-exposed teeth, was
49, .fa
catlike dexterily by the fore paws TO narrow
ledge Of rock, and striving with all his energy to
bring up his hind feet, and prepare for the one
spring which then would carry him TO his victim
while but a few feet above him swung the seem
ingly childish form Of little Windiogle, appealing
20 our pity, not merely by his peril, but by his
diminuIive size and overwhelming terror. The
Hottentot, and yet more the far rarer bushman, is
said to be the iavorite prey of the lion; and GER
tanly there seemed something Of rattle-snake fas-
cinafi0n in his influence over the tiny creature.
Windfogle Windiogei" once more cried out
Grattan; throwing over the cliff rope Of throngs
which We had quickly knotted together, "Catch
the REIN, boy; and we will draw you up. Don't
look down, but catch the REIN; come, quick !"
Thus abjured Windfogle caught the thong but
cast, nevertheless, another glance beow--tO see
the lion, with fierce groHl, spring forward in that
decisive bound he had long been contemplating.
At the same moment Hays fired, for a reserved
shot then was useless bat though even grazing
Windfogles shoulder, it merely lodged in that of
his foe, and hindered not his spring. Forward he
darted, but in that very instant the bush-man was
swung clFar of the rock on which he alighted Yet
quick we might be, the lion might be quicker in
pursuit; and where might that end The thought
was needless. The fragment Of rock by which |
Windiogle had hung, too slightly mbedded to bear |
the ponderous weight now east upon IT, cave way !
at once, and rolling down, bore the lion with it 10
the foot Of the precipice. Snllenly he rose, and
gave himself sulky shake; then, without turning |