New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1859-10-26
uNIy Lord. the LION"

We had ridden carelessy forward, admring the |
view Or specializing on the game to be found in
these mountain passes, when the sudden halt and
the unsinging of carbnes startled u.s. Pushing
past the rear files, we galoped to the front just in
time to prevent the sergeant who led the advance
firing at noble lion, which advancing towards the
same path which we were pursuing, had halted alb
ruptly at our view. He had evidently come from |
different direction to that were pursuing, and
was making his way toward the very pile Of noun
tains whose sombre colors had excited our curos |
ty. Five minutes later, and we should not have |
seen him; but as it happened there he stood, evil
IDENTIFY very much astonshed at thus Pumping sud-
denly on 50 large party Were we to fire, we
should doubtless either kill or mortaly wound the
animal In the first case, all would be WELL and
we should be the richer by lion-skin in the sec
ond, we should be sure to lose one or more men,
and it was responsibility the young officer in com
mand would not assume. Hastily giving the order
to unsling the carbines, he closed up his with
some difficulty, for the horses were very FESTIVE.
In case the lion showed disposition to attack all
were to face toward him, and it was to be hoped
that the general discharge would prove mortal. If
disposed to let us do SO, we were to pass him qui
city. 9~=
l had often heard that the lion by day in no way
resembles the same animal by night. During the
darkness, seeking his prey where he can find it, he
will attack anything, with the greatest ferocity;
but during the daytime, it being his proper period
for sleep, he being besides generally gorged with
food, he seldom attacks man. In the present in
stance had little confidence in the effects of
fire, for our horses, as their riders forced them to
approach their dreaded enemy, became more and
more alarmed and restiye The lion was doubtless
the one had heard roar in the distance the pre-
yious night, and he had been to the other side
seeking his food among the douars Of the native
tribes near Tenet, from whence he was now re-
turning to his den.
Our files well closed up, we neared the lion, who
showed no symptoms Of fear, gazed at US, not
savagely, but apparently with great curiosity.
Then he moved his tail to and fro, like large cat;
and as we neared him, he deliberately sat down on
his hind quarters, looking then for all the world
like queer-colored large Newfoundland. just as
we ranged up with him, passing by in single file,
the horses heads and tails well together he opened
his huge mouth with mighty yawn, uttering as he
did SO a sound between heavy sigh and growl.
This he did without rising and in a most sleepy
manner, as though he were supremacy indifferent
to our presence.
All this time our horses were terribly excited,
and my own--a jet-back Syrian barb, which had
carried me many mile over the plains of Walla-
of mischief and fighting, had long since chrstened
:" Bashi- Bazouk'-was now completely cowed, and
though walking at very slow pace, his black coat
was all white with foam. l was not fifteen PAGES
from the lion, and could not resist the fancy that
seized me to rein in and look at him. Trembling
in every limb, my horse obeyed me, and as the
rear files of our escort moved past, contemplated
the noble brute.
He was splendid male, of the color called by
the natives the black lion;" and which, they
say, Is the most fierce and terrible of all. He
seemed sleepy and quiet enough just then, and did
not even look at me. The jangling of the mems
arms appeared TO catch his attention; and it was
indeed but moments space that was allowed me
for contemplation, for slight move on his part
caused my horse to bound aside so suddenly as al
most to unhorse me and when | recovered my
seat, and my power over my frightened steed, the
sleepy fellow had deliberately lain down, and
rested his noble head on two mighty paws, lie fol-
lowed us with his eyes as we slowly moved away.