True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1857-01-21

Il
second would have carried her upon the
shoulders of the Kafir but the latter was
prepared to receive her, and, as she rose
to her second leap, he disappeared sud-
denly from the scene! AS if by magic
he had vanished and had not the boys
been watching his every movement, they
would have been at a loss to know what
had become of him. But they knew that
under that oval convex form, whose edges
rested upon the earth, lay Congo the
Kaffir. There lay be, like tortoise in
its shell. clutching The straps with all his
might, and pressing his carapace firmly
against the ground
The lioness was more ast0nished than
the spectators. At the second leap she
pitched right down ugon the shield, but
the drum like noise made by her weight,
and the hard, firm substance encountered
by her claws, quite disconnected her,
and sprlngng aside she stood gazing
at the odd object with looks of alarm
She stood but for m pment and then,
utterlng a savage grow Of disappoiut-
ment, turned tail upon it, and lrotted
off
This growlguided Congo. The shield
was raised from the ground--only on one
side, and but a very little way at first
just enough to enable the hunter 10
see the stern of the retreating ioness.
Then the Kaflir rose quickly to his feet,
and holding the shield erect, prepared
for the casting of a second assega.
This was quickly thrown and pierced
the animal in the flank, where shaft and
all remained sticking in the. flesh. The
lioness turned with redoubIed fury, once
more charged upon her assailant, and, as
before, was met by the hard convex sur
face of the shield. This time she did
not Immediately retreat, but stood mena-
cling the strange object, striking it with
her clawed hoofS, and endeavoring TO turn
it over.
Now was the moment of peril for
Congo. Had the lioness succeeded in ma
king a capsize, it would have been all up
with him, poor fellow But he knew
the danger, and with one hand clutching
the leathern straps, and the other bearing
upon the edge of the frame, he was able
20 hold firm and close, closer even
than a baracle to ships "copper""
After venting her rage in several impo-
tent attempts to break or overturn the
carapace, the lioness at length went
growing away towards her former posi-
ton.
Her growls, as before, guided the ac-
tions OF Congo, He was soon upon his
feet, another assegai whsed through the
air, and pierced through the neck of the
liOuess.
I But, as before, the wound was not fatal
and the animal, now enranged to frenzy
charged once more upon her assailant.
So rapid was her advance that it was
with great difficulty Congo got under
cover. A moment later, and his ruse
would have failed, for the claws of the lion
ess ratlled upon the shield as it descen.
ded.
lie succeeded, however, in planting
himself firmly, and was once more safe
under the thick buffalo hide. The lio-
ness now howled with disappointed rage;
and, after spending some minutes in fruit
less endeavors to upset the shield, She
once more desisled. This time, however,
instead OF going away, the angry brute
kept pacing round and round, and at
length lay down within three feet OF The
spot. Congo was beseiged
The boys saw at glance that Congo
was captive. The look of the honess
told them this. Though she was several
hundred yards of. they could see that
she W wore an air of determination, and
wasnot likely TO depart from the spot
without having her revenge. There could
be no question about it-Athe Kaffir was
in a scrape."
Should the lioness remain, how was he
10 get out of it? He could not escape
by any means, 10 raise The shield would
be TO tempt the fierce brute upon
him. Nothing could be palmer than
that.
The boys shouted aloud to warn him
oi his danger, They feared that he might
not be aware Of the close proximity ofhis
enemy.
Notwithstanding the danger there was
something ludicirous in the situation in
which the Kaffir was placed and the
young hunters, though anxious about the
result, could scarce keep from laugh
ter, as they looked forth upon the plain.
There laythe lioness within three feet
Of The shield, regarding it with fixed and
glaring eyes, and at intervals ultering her
savage gfowls There lay the oval form
with Congo beneath, motionIess and 81.
lent. A strange pair Of adversaries, in.
deed ! y z e aa4 all2e} ~ z
Long time the lioness kept her close
vigil, scarce moving her body from its
crouchlng attitude. Her tail only yibra-
ted from side to side, and the muscles of
her jaws qalvered with subdded rage.
The boys shouted repeatedly TO warn
Congo; though no reply came from the
hollow inferior Of The carapace. They
might have spared their breath. The cum
ming Kalfir knew as well as they The posi-