Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1865-02-10
JULES GERARD, THE LION KILLER.

JULES GERARD, THE LION AILLEN.
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 Joab.
He was of born of poor parents at Pig
nan, Var, June IA, 1917, so that he was i'll
his forty eight year. Gerard was fond of
sport from his youth at ten he chased
cats and monkeys; at sixteen he carried
rife and was bit of pugilst. He was
volunteer for the American compai9n III
1S4l, and commenced the life of adven-
lures which has been terminated in so I'M
timely manner. He describes in bis we'll
known work LIE T1teatr de Lions 1S562'57O
how it came to pass that poor dwarf of a
creature like him ventured to declare war
against the giant ofthe 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
KoNs Of Archiena, which had committed
unhesrd of .devastations among villagers
and troops alike. Said Gerard magnan-
imously, "if it pleases God, l, who an. not
an Arab, will kill the lion, and he shall not
deVour 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 a 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 eel Haib," the lame
one, alias n-Acherin-Radiel, the muir
de!er of twenty men; the lion of Krou
Z Mega, the lion of Mejez Amar, the lion Of
Zarazer, the li0ness Of Ell Hanont, &c.
Hewas called by the Arabs 1.-THE Terri
Bile Frank"
The Ducd'Aumale had given him
brace of pistols, and, on his return to
France in 1847, 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
geod 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
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 1863, 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 introduc-
ton to NJ. j. Branzee, the French Consul
at that place, from NJ. Brossare de Cor
bigny, the commander of the French
in the Gulf of Guinea. The
glish at Sierra Leone Immediately fur
nished him with fresh means for his jour-
ney. An English man-of-war, command
cd by Captain Cochrane, conveyed him to
the neighborhood of the river Gallinas.-
In few days after his landing he lost all
bis baggage, and took refuge in Sherboro
county; where the French residents gave
him every assistance in their power. He
left the village at Bagboom in the month
Of May or June last, but, when only two
hours distance, was completely piHaged
and obliged to return to the village, where
he waited until the end Of The rainy sea-