The emigrant aid journal of Minnesota. [volume] (Nininger City, Minn. Terr. [i.e. Minn.]) 1856-1858, 1857-09-26
How (Nn.O Il llled the I.lOncSS.
From The Young Yaeyers," by Aoyne Ree'

HOW &O0eO &1l3tO tnc k.1OuCSS.
From " The Young Yaeyers," by Moyne Reed.
Congo had become object of great interest
in the morning Greater in fact, for the danger
he about to undergo combat with an enraged
accounted still greater than that of ordng
the Gareep. and the interest in proportion With
eager eyes the young yaegers stood watching him he
prepared himself for the encounter
lie but short while in getting ready. He was
seen to enter the Van Wyk wagon, and in less than
three minutes out again fully armed and equipped
The oness would have long wait for her assaant
The equipment OF the kafr must needs be described.
1t simple enough, though odd to strangers eye.
II was neither less than the equipment Of a
Zooloo warrior.
In his right hand he held bunch Of oxseyus--in all
six Of them An assegai Is straight lance spear,
though to be used 1t is smaller than either
of these weapons shorter and slender in the shaft
but like them armed with iron head Of shape.
In battle it is not retained in the band but flung at
the enemy, often from considerable distance 1t is in
short j.velin dart, such used n Europe be-
fore firearms became known, and such present
forms the weapon Of all the savage tribes Of South
Africa, but especially those Of the Kar nations
And we'll know they how to project this dangerous mis-
sile. At the distance OF hundred yards they will send
it with force great, and aim unerrng either
bullet arrow The assega is flung by.a single arm
Of these javeins Congo carried six spinning their
slender shafts With his long muscular fingers The as
il remarkable thing which be bore his left arm
II oi oval form full six feet in length by about
three in width, coDcave the side towards his body
and equally convex on the opposite Wore than any
thing else did it resemble small boat made of
skins stretched ork of wood and of such
materials Was it constructed 1t Was, in fact shield
Ia Zoooo sheld-rhough Of somewhat larger dmen.
than hose used i'll Notwithstanding it's great
size it iar rol. clumsy, hut light tight, and frm
so much so that arrow assvsa bullet striking it
upou the sae would have glanced off from
plate of steel \ pair uf trung bands fastened inside
along the bottom enabled the er move it about at
will aud placed upright, wirh It's lower end resting
upon the groun, il would have sheltered the body of
the taljest 1t sheltered thar Of Congo and Congo
not dwarf. Without Der word he walked ont,
the huge cornpare on hs LETT arm five Of the assegas
cutched in his left anl while that he had chosen
for rths first throw he held in his right This one vas
grasped the mddie and carried upon the balance
No change had taken place i'll the situation of affairs
upon the plain In fact there had not been much
time for any Scarce five minutes had elapsed from the
time the kaf stated his purpose until he forth to
execute It, The lloness still roaming about, utter
ing her frghttul screams The hyenas still there.
The moment kahr was seen approaching the
ardly hyenas fed with howl, and soon disappeared
under the bosch. Far different with the loness she
seemed TO regard To the approach OF the hunter
she neither turned her head looked in the direction
he was coming: her whole attention absorbed by
the mass Of bodies upon the plain. She yelled her
aye notes AS sne regarded them She was no doubt,
amenting the fate her grim aud swarthy partner that
lay dead before her eyes. At all events she did not
seem to notice the hunter until he had got within twenty
PAGES Of the spot At that distance the Kaf6r halted
rested his huge shield upon the ground-stil holding
it erectpoised the assega moment in his right hand,
aud then sent it whizzing through the air.
1t pierced the side Of the tawny brute, and hung
quiverng between her ribs. Only for moment. The
fierce animal doubled round upon herself caught the
shaft n her teeth and broke it off as if it had been
straw Tie blade Of the assegai still remained in the
flesh, but the lioness waited longer She had now
perceived her enemy, and utering vengeful Scream
she sprang towards him. With one tremendous bound
she cleared three ours Of the space that lay between
them, and second would have carried her upon the
shoulders Of the Kar; but the latter prepared to
receive her, and she to her second leap he dis
appeared suddenly from the scene!
As if BY magic he had vanished and had the boys
been watching his every movement, they would have
been at oss to know wha, had become Of HIM but
they knew that under the oval FORM whose edges
rested upon the earth, lay Congo the Kafir There lay
ne, like tortoise in It's she'll cutchng the straps with
all bis might anu pressing his carapace firmly against
the ground
The opcss more astonished than the spectators
At the second leap she pitched right down upon the
shield but the drum-ke noise made BY her weight, and
the hard firm substance encountered by her claws quite
Disconnected her. and sprngng aside she stood gazing
at the odd object with looks of alarm
She stood but for moment, and then uttering saw
age growl Of disappointment, turned tail upon it and
trotted off This growl guided Congo. The shield was
raised from the ground-only side, aud but a
little way at rst-us enough toenabe the hunter toee
the retreatng on when he quietly to his feet and
holding the shield erect, quickly cast second assega
which pierced the animal in the flank where shaft and
all remained sticking in the flesh The lioness turned
with redonbed fury, charged upon her assa
ant, and as before BY the hard surface
of the shield This time she did not Immediately re-
treat but soo menacing the strange object striking it
with her clawed hoofs and endeavoring turn it
Had the oness succeeded in making capsize it would
have been all up with him, poor fellow But he knew
the danger and with hanl clutching the leather
straps and the other bearing upon the edge the ame
he able to hold firm and close.
After venting her rage III several mpotent attempts
break the crapace. the oness at length
went growing away to her former position Congo Was
upon his feet smother asseg. whisted through the
air. and pierced through the neck Of the lioness
But, xs before, the wound not fatal, and the ami
NAL euraged 70 q Frenzy, charged once more upon
her assailant So rapid was her advance that it
with difficulty Congo got undercpver. moment later,
and his would have failed for the claws OF the lion
ratified upon the shield it descended. He sue