Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1850-10-09

d ninent peril TO which was exposing m
! life, nor thought that a blood-lhrs,y man
I eater hon was crouchinS near, and onl.
q watching his opportunity 10 spring Ito III
+ kraal, and consign one OF US to a most hor
:, rIb'e death. About three hours after III
, sun went down called my men 10 com,
, and take their coffee and supper, which
e was ready for them at my fire and afle
, supper three o. them returned before lhei
cornrade TO their own firesde, and Ia,
5 down; these were John Stofolus, iIendric
ard Ruy'er. In few minutes an OK came
out by the gate of the kraal and walked
! round the back Of il. Hendric got up ant
drove him in again, and then went back Il
his fresidc and lay down. Hendric anC
Ruyier lay on one side of the fire undel
one blanket, and John S,ofolus lay on tht
other. AT this moment | was sitting taking
some barley broth; our FIRE was very
small, and the night was s;tc"-dark and
windy. Owing TO our proximity to the ma.
tive village the wood was very scsrce, the
Bakalahari having burned it all in their
fires.
Suddenly The appalling and murderors
voice of an angry, bood-ihirsty lion burst
upon my ear within few yards OF Us, Io!-
lowed by the shriekrng of the Ho,teniois.
Again and again the murderous roar of al
tack was repeated. We heard John and
Ruyier shrek - The lion lie lion - still,
for few moments, we though. he was bu,
chasing one of The dogs found The kfaal;
but, next instant John Slofolus rushed inlo
the midst of US almost speechless with fear
and terror, his eyes bursting from their
sockets, and shreked out. "The lion the
lion. He has got Hendrc. he dragged
him away from the fire beside me. | struck
him with the burning brands upon his
head. but he would no! lie, 90 his hold.
Hendric is dead Oh God Hendric is
dead LIE, US take The fire and seek" The
rest of my people rushed about shrieking
and yelling as ifihey we're mad. was al
once angry with them for their folly, and
told them that il they did Tot srah1 siilt
and keep quiet The lion would have another
of US and that very likely there was a
troop Of them. ordered the dogs, which
were nearly all fast to be made loose, and
the FIRE to be increased as far as could be.
then shouted lIendric's name, but all was
still. ! told my men that Hendric was
dead. and that regiment of soldiers could
not save him, and. hunting my dogs for
ward, | had everything brought within the
cattle kraaI, when we lighted cur fire and
closed the entrance rs well as We could.
My terrified people sat round the fire
with guns 10 their hands ill the day broke.
still lancying that every moment the lion
would return and spring again into the !
midst Of US. When the dogs were first le, |
90, 'hs stupid brule>, as dogs often prove
when most required, instead Of going al
the lion. rushed aetcely on one another, |
anG fought desperately for some minutes. |
AIier this they got his wind, and, going a,
him, disclosed to US his position they
kept up a continued barking until The day
dawned, the lion occasionally springing
after them and driving them in upon the
kraal. The horrible monster lay all night
within forty yards Of US, consuming the
wretched man whom he had chosen for
his prey. He had dragged him into lii
tie hollow a, the back Of the thick brush
beside which the fire was kindled, and there
he remained till the day dawned, careless
Of our proximity.
1t appeared that when the unfortunate
Hendrc rose 10 drive in the OK, the lion
had watched him 10 his freside, and he
Sad scarcely laid down when the biuie
sprang upon him and Ruyier Qor both lay
under one blanket, with his appalling.
murderous roar, and roaring as he lay, /
giappled him with his fearful claws, and
kept biting him on The breast and shoulder,
all the while feeling for his neck having
got hold Of which, Re IL once dragged him
away backward round The bush into the
dense shade. ~, & -
As the lion lay upon the unfortunate
man, he family cried. "flelp me, help me!
Oh God men, Le'p me :" Alter which
he fearful beast got hold Of his neck,
and then all was sill. excep, that his com.
rades heard the bones of his neck cracking
between the teeth OF the Iion. John Slo!o-t
us had lain with his back TO the fire on the
opposite side. and on hearing the lion he
sprang up, and. sieziug a large flaming
brand, had belabored him on the head
with the burning wood but the brute
Id no, take any notice of him. The
Bushman had narrow escape he was
10, altogether sca,heIess, he iion having
inflicted two gashes in his sea, with his