Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1865-02-15
JULES GERARD, THE LION KILLER.

At the last sitting of the Paris Geograph-
ical Society, M. Matte Brun read letter
he had received from NJ. Braduezec,
French Consul at Sierra Leone, and which
confirms the account of the death of Jules
Gerard, the lion killer, who was drowned
in attempting to cross the river Joub.
He was of born of poor parents at Pig
nan, Var, June IA, 1917, so that he was in
his forty eight year. Gerard was fond of
sport from his youth at ten he chased
cats and monkeys; at sixteen he carried
rifle and was bit of a pugilist. He was a
volunteer for the American compaig On in
1841, and commenced the life of adven-
lures which has been terminated in so I'M
timely manner. He describes in his well
known work. LIE zazeur de Lions 1S56'57D
how it came to pass that poor dwarf Of a
creature like him ventured to declare war
against the giant OF the woods--"one against
one-chance for chance-God alone being
witness of the fight" Not long after his
arrival at Bone he heard of the terrible
lion of Archiona, which had committed
unheard of devastations among villagers
and troops alike. Said Gerard magnan-'
imously, eff it pleases God, I, who am not
IN Arab, will kill the lion, and he shall not
dovour you any more" His heart, he
tells bounded for Joy at the coming fight.
"Soon this allpoWerful lord, the terror of
the country, will bite the dust under the
ball of dog of Christian" The villa
gers were incredulous, AID intimated to
Jules that, if he killed the lion, they would
kiss his feet and become his slaves mean
while they would mind their own bust
ness.
OF the twenty-five lions which have fall
len victims to Gerard's rifle, we are told
appalling stories of Gel Haib," the lame
one, alias Bon .Acherin-R adiel, the muir
derer of twenty men; the lion of krou
Mega, the lion of Mejez Amar, the lion Of
Zarazer, the lioness of Ell Hanont, &c.
He was called by the Arabs "The Terri
bic Frank" -
The Ducd'Aumale had given him a
brace of pistols, and, on his return to
France in 1S47, he had an interview with
the Dutchess of Orleans and the youthful
Count de Paris, who, unsolicited, left the
room for five minutes, and returning, said
artlessly, "These villain beasts will finish
you one day. A good hunter must be a
good soldier. You must be preserved to
the army. Accept these pistols to pre-
serve YOU" In 1855 Gerard returned
once more to France with the rank of sub
lieutenant, and received the decoration of
the Legion of Honor. He had within the
last year or two left France on another
expedition into Africa, and he has unfor-
tunately persisted in the course of it by a
sad accident.
The following details relative to the
melancholy end of Gerard, were read at
the meeting: The ex-lion killer went to
the western coast of Africa provided with
instructions from the Royal Geographical
Society of London, and with the support
of several members OF the English nobili-
ty, for the purpose of exploring the inte-
rior OF that country. He first intended to
visit the Kong Mountains, in Northern
Guinea, which, up to that time, had never
been crossed by any European. He left
England at the close of 1853, and proceed
ed to Whydah from thence he proceeded
into the kingdom Of Dahomey, whence he
dated one Of his last letters, addressed to
the Duke Of Wellington. After having
IN vain attempted to get into the interior
OF Africa by way Of Dahomey, he came
to Sierra Leone with letter of introduce
ton to M. j. Branzee, the French Consul
at that place, from M. Brossare de Cor.
bigny, the commander of the French
squadron in the Gulf of Guinea. The
English at Sierra Leone Immediately tur.
nlshed him with fresh means for bis Jour-
ney. An English man-of:war, command
ca oy Captain Cochrane, conveyed him to
the neighborhood of the river GallinasW ".
IN IN few days after his landing he lost all
ms baggage, and took refuge in Sherhoro
county, where the French residents pave
Isft t every assistance in their power. He
, os M 1ne village at Bagboom in the month
Iour's sy d or June last, but, when only two
On Saa obliged to return to the villsgpp .dgea
~ waited until the end Of the rain yl seas