Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1858-10-21

English gentleman (Captain Codrlngton)
was surprised in the same way, though not
hunting the lion at the=time,- but turning
round he shot him dead iu the neck. BY
accident a horse belonging TO Codrington
ran away, but was stopped by the bride
catching stump; there he remained a
prisoner two days. and when found the
whole space around was marked by the
footprints of lions. They had evidently
been afraid to attack the haItered horse,
from fear that it was trap. Two lions.
cameup BY night TO within three yards of
oxen tied to a wagon, and sheep tied to
a tree, and stood roaring, but afraid to
make spring. On an other occasion, one
of our party was lying sound asleep and
unconscious of danger, between two ma
tives behind bush; the fire was nearly
out at their feet, in consequence of all be-
ing completely tired out by the fatigues of
the previous day; lion came up to within
three yards ofthe fire, and there commence
ed roaring instead ofmakiLg spring; the
fact of their riding-ox being tied TO the
bush was the only reason the lion had for
not following his instinct and making
meal of flesh. He then stood on knoll
three hundred yards distant, and roared all
night, and continued his growing as the
party moved off by daylight next morning.
"Nothiug that l ever learned of the lion
would lead me TO attribute to it either the
ferocious or noble character ascribed to it
elsewhere. 1t possesses none oflhe nobili-
ty of the Newfoundland or ST.. Bernard
dogs. With respect to its great strength
there can be nodoubt. The immense mas
ses of muscle around its jaws, shoulders
and forearms proclaim tremendous force
They would seem however, to be inferior
in power to those of the Iudian tiger
Most Of those feats of strength that l have
seen performed by lions, such as the taking
away of an OK, were not carrying, but
draggi 6 or trailing the carcase along the
ground. They have sprung, on some oc-
casions, O. the hindquarters of a horse
but no one has evere seen them on the
withers of a giraffe. They do not mount
on the headquarters of an Gland even, but
try to tear him down with their claws
Messrs. Oswell and Vardon once saw three
lions endeayoring to drag down buffalo.
and they were unable to do so for time,
though he was then mortally wounded by
a two-ounce ball" .-..s. Il.
This singular encounter occurred on the
10Th of September, ls46, and is thus des-
cribed by Major Vardon in letter TO DR..
Livingstone:
"Oswel and l were riding this afternoon
along the banks of the Linpopo, when a
water buck started in front of us. dis
mounted aud was following it through the
Jungle, when three butfaloes got up and at
ter going little distance stood still. and
the nearest bull turned round and looked at
me. A ball from the two-ouneer crushed
into bis shoulder, an they all three made
of. Oswell and followed as soon as re-
loaded, and when we Were in sight of the
buffalo and gaining on him at every strid
three lions leaped on the unfortunate brute;
he beloved most Justify as he kept up a
kind OF running fight; but he was, of
course, soon ovcrpowered and pulled duwn.
We had fine view of the struggle, and |
saw the lions on their hind legs tearing
away with teeth and claws in most tc-
rocious style. We crept up within thirty
yards, and kneeling down blazed away at
The lions. My rifle was single barrel,
and had no spare gun. One lion fell
dead almost on the buffalo; he had mere
" time to turn towards US, seize bush |
with his teeth, and drop dead with the
stick in his jaws. The seco d made off
and the third raised his bead,
,oolly looked round for moment, and
hen went on tearing aud biting the carcase
Is hard as ever We retired short dis
ance to load; then again advanced aud
ired. The lion made oil, but a bali that
he received ought to have stopped him, as
t went clean through his shouder-biade.
He was followed up and killed, after having
charged several times. Both lions We're
males. 1t is not often that one bags a
brace of lions and bull buffalo in about
ten minutes. 1t was an exciting adventure,
and shall never forget it. The
buffalo had, of Course. gone close to where
.he lions were lying down for the day /;
and they, seeing him lame and bleeding,
thought the opportunity too good one
10 be lost"
In attacking an animal, the lion general
y seizes it by the flank near the hind leg,
or by the throat below the jaw. DR.. Liv
ingslone considers it questionable whether
he ever atlemprs to seize an animal by the
withers.
"The flank is the most common point of
attack, and that is the part he begins to
feast ON first. The natives and the lions
are very similar in their tastes in the selec-
ton of tlt-blls; an eland may be seen dis
embowelled by a lion so completely that
he scarcely seems cut up at all. The bowels
and fatty parts form full meal for even
the largest lion. The jackal comes sniff
ing about, and sometimes suffers for his
temeriiy by stroke from the lions paw
lying him dead. When gorged, the lion
falls fast asleep, and is then easily dis
patched.
Hunting a lion with dogs involves very
little danger as compared with hunting the
Indian tiger, because the dogs bring him
out of cover and make him stand at bay,
giving the hunter plenty of time for de-
liberate shot. % slr'
"When game is abundant, there you
may expect lions in proportionately large
They are neTer seen in. herds;
but six or eight, probably one family, occa-
slonallY hunt together. One is il much
more danger of being run over when walk
ing IN the streets of London, than be is of