The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1855-11-15

VIDE awake over my eyes, lounged dow
path among the bushes, now we'll beate
by the feet Of men and horses. The lat
ter | found up to their bellies in the poo
enjoying themselves as completely as tn
flies would let them; but as the waite
looked uncommonly turbid, thought
would skirt along little to the left ans
look for a clearer spot; and so, climbin!
! short steep, covered with. long gras
and underwood, I pushed aside som,
branches which intervenedsbetween M
and small clear space of short turf, anC
to my very intense astoHishment, though
] must say not at that moment to my dis
may, l was so used to the sight of then
found myself within few yards of one
of the finest male lions | ever saw, and
who was engaged with a look of grave
patriarchal interest in watching the move.
ments of the horses below--doubtless Sc
lecting one for his breakfast. Have you
not seen Landseer's etching of the lion
in the old Tower MenageIe! In exact.
ly the same altitude, still and unmoving
like noble statue, stood this neighbor Of
mine, and for few seconds, 1 remained
really lost in admiration of the grand
beauty of the "tableau" he presented.
1t was however, necessary to decide on
some line of action Immediately. l could
not help hitting him if l chose to fire, but
if l did not kill him outright with one
shot, he was so close to me that l could
hardly hope to escape without an ugly
brush. | concluded to retreat, but the
sharp crackle of dried twig effected
what the more subdued noise of my pre- :
vious movements had not done, and with
a short startled growl, the beast swung
himself round, and in a second was star
ing at me with look which said, "Hullo!
who are you!" as plainly as looks could
speak. Instinctively l threw my rife
cooking it at the same moment,
and some seconds of perfect immoveable-
ness on each side ensued, during which |
was trying to make out whether he would
charge or not. The study of physiogno-
my is doubtless pleasant enough on the
whole; but when your subject is big
male lion, and the question depending
on the study, whether you shall be sum
marily smashed" or let alone, why, I
confess it becomes (as Sammy Weller
says) too exciting to be pleasant.
How I studied every feature, trying to
detect change of some sort which might
give me a clue. 1t came at last, he grad
ually lowered his head, and by the "wrag-
Cling" motion of his hind quarters, which
could just spy over his shoulder, l saw
he was gathering his hind legs under him
"a sure indication. The next moment
he dashed at me with a hoarse snarl,
which sounded as though a giant had
drawn the bow suddenly across the strings
Of stupendous bass fiddle. I fired as
be rushed in, aiming as well as l could
at the middle of his forehead As I did
SO, was swept down with the force of
an express train, and for few seconds
lost all consciousness.
The first thing I was sensible of, as
soon as | beganto get my senses together
was the clear, strong voice of N, call
ing to me in the most placid though earn
est manner:
"Lie perfectly still, Walter; it's your
only chance"
How my heart leaped at the voice!
Help was at hand, but the very words
that announced it at the same time point
ed out my extreme danger; it needed
only the most moderate exercise of my re-
turning faculties, to understand why.
I was lying on my face among the long
grass at the top of the little steep have
mentioned, could see nothing, but |
could feel the lion close to me. | could
hear his deep, short, angry breath, like
he rough purrs of an enormous cat
could detect smaking noise, which l af-
ter found arose from his licking at
stream of blood which flowed down the
side Of his nose, from deep score on his
forehead given him by my ball-nay, I
could feel his huge tail, as he rolled it
angrily across from side to side, re st for
l moment on my back now and then.
The bitter anguish of those few years
IL uioihoho> "cIii Jou oon SueSo ali tuat'
Presently | heard the crack of rife on
ny left, sharp whistle close to my head,
Ind "thud" on my right, as the shot
old among the fur, succeeded by another
short, sharp snarl louder than the first
another crack, sensation like red-ho
wire across my neck (being at the bottom
# the slope they could but just sight the
ion over my head; and Mad fred
quarter of an inch too low, another fur.
Gus snarl, and then roar-within a
'ard of my ear. / never heard such a
ound out of anything, living or dead;
hen three or four more shots close to-
yether, and hustle at my side which
ounded like my neighbor settling down
Imong the grass and bushes.
"Now roll roll for your life !" shouted
rs clear voice again. l was saved
he trouble-the dying brute, in his con-
giving me a kick with his hind
egs. which sen me flying down the steep
'ut of the reach of all furter danger.