Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1858-01-15
Encounter with an African Lion.


from L,ingstones Missionary Travels and Rese arches
in South Africa.
Returning toward kuruman, | Sc
lected the beautiful valley of Mahot-
"a Qat. % IA south, Ion. 2G 30? as
the site of a missionary station, and
thithcr | removed in 1913. Here an
occurrence took place, concerning
which l have frequently been ques-
toned in England, and which, but for
the opportunities Of friends, | meant
to have kept in store to tell my chill
dren when in my dotage. The Baka-
tia Of the village Mahotsa were much
troubled by lions, which leaped into
the cattle-pens by night and destroy
ed their cows. They even attacked
the herds in open day. This was so
unusual an occurrence that the people
believed that they were bewitched-
given, Gas they said) into the power
Of the lions by neighboring tribe"
They went once to attack the animals,
but, being rather cowardly people
compared to Bechunas in general on
such occasions, they returned with
out killing any.
1t is we'll known that if one Of 4
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 small hill about
a quarter of 4 mile in length, and
covered with trees. \ circle Of men
was formed around it, and they grad
ually closed up, ascending pretty near
to each other Rning down hollow an
the plain with q native schooimaster,
named Mebalwc, a most excellent
man, l saw one of the lions sitting on
a piece of rock within the now closed
circle of men. Mebalwe fired at him
before | could, and the ball struck
where the animal was sitting. He
bit at the spot struck, as q dog does
alta stick or stone thrown at him; then
leaping away, broke through the opc-
ming circle and escaped unhurt. The
men were afraid to attack him, per-
haps on account of their belief in
witchcraft. When the circle was re-
formed, we saw two other lions in it;
but we were afraid to fire lest we
should strike the men, and they allow
cd the beasts to burst through also.
If the Bakatla had acted according to
the custom 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 around the end of the hill how
ever, l saw one Of the beasts sitting
on a piece Of rock as before but
this time he had little bush in front.
Being about thirty yards off, | took a
good aim at his body through the
bush, and fired both barrels into it.
The men called out, she is shot he is
shot y Others cried, HE has been
shot by another man, too let US 20
to him" l did not see any one else
shoot him, but | saw the lions tail
erected in anger behind the bush and,
turning to the people, said, "Stop a
little, till l load again." When in
the act of ramming down the bullets,
l heard shout. Starting, and look
ing half around, l saw the lion just
in the act of springing upon me. l
was upon little height he caught
my shoulder as he sprang, and we
both came to the ground below to-
gether. Growing horribly close to
my ear. he shook me as a terrier dog
does rat. The shock produced a
stupor similar to that which seems to
be felt by mouse after the first shake
of a cat. 1t caused a sort of dreami-
ness, in which there was no sense of
pain or feeling of terror, though quite
conscious of all that was happening.
1t was like what patients partially
under the influence of chloroform de-
scribe, who see all the operation, but
feel not the knife. This singular
condition was not the result of anv
mental process. The shake, annihi-
lating fear, allowed no sense of hor-
ror in looking at the beast. This pc
culiar state is probably produced in
all animals killed by the carnivora :;
and, ifso, is a merciful provision by
our benevolent Creator for lessening
the pain of death. Turning around
to relieve myself of the weight, as he
had one paw on the back Of my head,
l saw his eyes directed to Mebalwc,
who was trying to shoot him at dis
tance of ten or fifteen yards. His
gun, a flint one, missed fire in both
barrels; the lion Immediately left me,
and, attacking Mcbalwe, bit his thigh.
Another man, whose life l had saved
before, after he had been tossed by a
buffalo, 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 effect,
and he fell down dead. The whole
was the work of a few moments, and
must have been his paroxyisms Of
dying rage. In order to take out the
obarn, from, him tho Rotaflo On tho