Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1858-01-30
Encounter with an African Lion.

Encounter with an African Lion.
Returning toward Kuruman, selected the
beautiful valley of Mabotsa lat. 25 IA south,
Ion. 26 80 p as the rite of missionary sta
ton, and thither | removed in l843. Here
an occurrence took place concerning which
l have frequently been questioned in England
and which bat for the opportunities of friends,
| meant to have kept in store to tell my chill
dren when in my dotage The Bakatla Of
the village Mabotsa were much troubled by
lions, which leaped into the cattle pens by
night and destroyed their cows. They even
attacked the herds in open day. This was SO
unusual an occurrence that the people belle
we'd that they were bewtcired-"given" as
they they said into the COVER Of the lions by
neighboring tribe" They went once to at
tack the animals, but, being rather coward
ly people compared to Bechunas in general
on such occasions, they returned without Kill
ling any.
it is we'll known that if one Of troop Of
lions is killed. the others take the hint and
leave that part of the country. So, the next
time the herds were attacked, | went with
the people, in order to encourage them to rid
themselves Of the annoyance by destroying
one Of the marauders. We found the lions
on q small hill about quarter Of a mile in
leDS w. ana covered VIII trees, n ClICIc VI
men was formed around it, and they gradual
ly closed up, ascending pretty near to each
other. Being down below on the plain with
q native schoolmaster, named Mebalwe, q
NEST excellent man, cav one of the lions
sitting on piece Of rock within the now clo-
sed circle OF men. Mebalwe fired at him be-
fore l could, and the ball struck the rock on
which the animal was sitting. He bit at the
spot struck, as dog does at stick or stone
thrown at him; then leaping away, broke
through the opening circle and escaped un-
hurt. The men were afraid to attack him,
| perhaps on account Of their belief in witch
craft. When the circle was reformed, we saw
two other lions in it but we were afraid to fire
lest we should strike the men, and they al
| lowed the beasts to burst through also. III
the BakGtla had acted according to the Gus
tom OF the country, they would have speared
the lions in their attempt to get out. Seeing
We could not get them to kill one of the lions
we bent our footsteps toward the village; in
going round the end Of the hill, however, |
saw one of the beasts sitting on piece of
rock as before but this time he had lit
| tie bush in front. Being about thirty yards
off, took good aim at his body through
the bush, and fred both barrels into it. The
men then called out, she is shot, he is shot ]"
Others cried, HE has been shot by another
man, too ; let US go to him ~ | did not see
any one else shoot him, but saw the lions
tail erected in anger behind the bush, and,
turning the people, said, stop little, till
load again" When in the act of ramming
down the bullets, | heard shout. Starting
and looking half round, l saw the lion just in
the act of apringing upon me. | was upon
little height; he caught my shoulder as he
splang, aud we both came to the ground be-
low together. Growing horribly close to my
ear, he shook me as a terrier dog does rat
The shock produced a stnpor similar to that
which seems to be felt by mouse after the
first shake Of a cat. 1t caused sort Of
dreamness, in which there was no sense OF
pain or feeling Of terror, though quite con-
scious of ell that was happening, 1t was like
what patients partially under the Influence,
Of chloroform describe, who feel all the opera
tion, but feel not the knife. This singular
condition was not the result Of any mental
process. The shake annhilating fear allow
ed no sense Of horror IN looking round at the
beast. This peculiar state is probably pro-
duced in all animals killed by the carAiyora,
and If 30, is q merciful provision by our be-
nevolent Creator for lessening the pain OF
death. Turning round to relieve myself OF
the weight as he had one paw on the back OF
my head, | saw his eyes directed to Mebalwe,
who was trying to shoot him at distance oi
ten or fifteen yards. His gun, flint one,
missed fire in both barrels, the lion immedi-
ately left mo, and attacking Melbalwe bit
his thigh. Another man whose life had sa'
we'd before, after he had been tossed by buf'
salo, attempted to spear the lion while he was
biting Mebalwe. He left Mebalwe and
caught the man by the shoulder, but at that
moment the bullets he had received took ell
feet, and he fell down dead. The whole was
the work of O few moments, and must have
been his paroxysms Of dying rage. In order
to take out the charm from him, the Barkatlt
on the following day mad huge bonfire over
the carcass, which was declared to be the lar
, gest lion they had ever seen. Besides
/ crunehing the bone into splinters he left elev
en- teeth wounds on the upper part OF my
arm.
A wound from this animals tooth resem
bles gun-shot wound, it is generally follow
! ed by a great deal OF sloughipg and dscharg'
S and pains are felt in the part periodical.
: ever afterward. | had on tartan jacket oil
Q the occasion, and believe that II wiped Of
d all the virus from the teeth that pierced thu
9 flesh, for my two companions in this aifra,
I have both suffered from the peculiar pains
l while have escaped with the only inconye
6 nience of a false joint in any limb.--Tho ma
a whose shoulder was wounded Showed me hi
d wound actually burst forth afresh ou the sam
month of the following year. This curiou
n point deserves the attention OF inqurers.-
q Liviagston's Missionary Travels and Rs
searches in South Af,tca.