The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1859-06-09
Il listened moment, and told him, yes.
Perhaps they are coming after us.
who are Meyy' said he.

weight equal to all the men we have lef
behind. Hark again
Il did so, and could now plainly distinguish
the tread ofsome heavy animal.
is it a lion, do you think / asked.
Lari hestated a moment, and then, grasp
ing me by the arm, he pointed into the wood
"Look see there he cried whirling
me half around.
Il did look-and saw a sight-a sight
that made my hair start and my heart Lap
Not rifle not even a pistol and YET
there-not twenty yards distant-was :
huge Nubian lion crawling towards us.
could see his eyes burn; could see his lone
tail sweep the grass; and could see that he
was advancing fora spring.
He's hungry said the Nubian, or he
wouldn't be coming on in that way.
Then he'll attack us? 1 suggested.
of course he will
And not weapon for defense!
Il have my spear returned Lari. Now
to the back Of these bushes-quick-an
let him come. Have your knife out in case
of need
Il hardly knew what my companion meant
but saw, just upon my left clump Of
bushes bearing small red berry. They
We're not more than four feet high, and oc-
cupied space some eight feet long by -four
wide. When we had gained position be-
hind the.n, | looked for the lion. He had
stopped as he saw US take this covert, but
we were not hidden from his sight as there
were openings in the foliage through which
both parties could obtain view of each
other
1--WE are gone' said l trembling with
fear, as saw the huge monster settle upon
his belly and move towards us.
perhaps not whispered Lari, without
taking his eyes from the lion. Keep still
don't move for your lifer'
"But what good can you do with that
spear?' | asked
perhaps nothing but wait and see'
IL did wait; but though it was but few
moments, yet it was season of terrible sus-
pense to me. l am not coward, nor was
[ ever one; but come to be situated as |
was then, with full grown lion before me
not twenty yards of-and only a little
patch of bushes for an apology for a shelter
through which the beast could watch your
every movement, and with that unearthly
puring, roaring growl, hardly preceptble
in tone, but making the air tremble with its
intensity-have all this, as l had it then
and if you don't trenIble, then you're made
Of sterner stuff than am.
"Once l cast my eyes upon Lari, who
was at my right, and / saw that he was as
calm as a rock. His great brown eyes was
fixed on the lion with a burning gaze,-his
teeth were set like the jaws of vice. He
was upon his right knee, with his left foo,
braced before him, and his long spear, which
he held with firm grasp, had the end o
the shaft set against the hard ground behind
him, with the sharp steel head elevated just
to the top of the bushes. , ....
"Hist' he uttered, gathering himself fol
an effort; and as l turned 1 saw the lior
cautiously advancing upon his belly. Wher
about five yards off he stopped and gathered
himself for a spring saw his huge claws
settle into the ground, and saw his great
shaggy head start upward as he left his couch
With my heart as still as death | bowed my
head, and shrank down down towards the
earth. | heard shock-a momentary strug
gle-a crashing sound as of the breaking O
wood, and then | was knocked over by a
heavy body coming in contact with my right
shoulder. With powerful effort strug
gled from beneath the weight, and gained
my feet. .-.
THE first thug saw was Lari, for it was
he who had fallen upon me. The next was
the lion, who lay onlya few feet off, with the
head of the spear buried deep in his throat
the shaft being broken off about midway
He was roaring with deep, hoarse sound
and tearing the dirt up with his claws.
Il think that found his heart before II
broke said Iari as he gained his feet. III
the shaft had held I'd have pinned him
through the heart, and sent him twenty feet
over be hind U.s. But, | tell ye, he's heavy
one to lift
The monster was dead in few minutes,
and we then held an examination The
lance head had entered the lower part of the
throat, directly beneath the forcshoulders,
and gone clean through the heart
! lyon must have had a good aim, said /
But twas good mark, replied Lari.-
When saw him coming just turned ihe
point right for his heart. and hc killed him
self
1T was all very simple and is may have
been very esily done; but | assure you. d
man must have pretty steady nerve to dc
it etfectually.
we could not move the lion then, MOI
could we stop to take his skin off, for it was
very nearly dark SO we resolved to wait
until morning, and then have help.
/ When We reached the lower corner of tn.
waste, we saw glimncring of water through
the trees, and upon pushing our way down
we were lucky enough to find ourselves only
a few rods from the tent. On the next morn
ing We all went out together, and found tn,
lion just as we had left him. His body
measured from the end of his nose to tn,
insertion of his tail, eight beet and nine inches