The Lincoln County herald., 1869-06-17
Fearful Encounter with on American
Lion,

COuIUl EuCVuutCG WIN Ou NWCI 1C0u
... Lion. .......
I herewith send you an extract from {
letter received from Mr.. George e. Cole
man, giving the particulars Of q tcrribl.
oontes he had with on American lion,
Mr. Coleman resides near Aberdeen, Mis-
sissippi, and did not anticipate the pub
licution Of the extract when IL was writ
ten, but have taken tho liberty Of for.
wardiug it to you, believing the readers
Of tho Turf. Field and Farm taken an in
tercst in tho recital Of "hairbrcadti
'scapes" and deeds Of hcroism. The
following is the extract: "Bclicvine you
would like to know tho full particular.
q my encounter with an American lion
described in Natural History as tho puma
or American lion, l send you the follwing
Ono evening, while riding through my
farm, was hailed by q negress. who in
on excited manner, stated that she he'd
seen bear, as big 10 Gov, up in o tree
down in the woods. Knowing tho woman
to be truthful, and, from her excited
manner that she had seen something
unusual, went to the house, got my long
Spencer rife, took my hostler along,
giving him my shotgun, heavily charged
with buskshot, and, with no little pcrsua
sion, induced the woman 10 20 with US 10
point out tho spot whore sho had seen the
object Of hor fright. About o half milo
from my residence she stopped and
pointed out a leaning tree, about four
hundred yards distant from US, in which
she said tho animal was lying apparently
asleep. advanced short distance, and
dicovcrcd q monster animal was lying
among the limbs of two largo trees that
had fallen together, somewhat in a cone
shape Intervening the boughs Of one with
the other. lie was evidently fast asleep.
went up within forty yards, carefully
surveyed the spot, and arranged tho place
Of attack. / whispered to my boy to
stay as close behind me as he possibly
could and to hold the shot gun so as to
hapd il to me for use in close combat, as
We were about to encounter the largest
species Of the American lion and that he
would certainly provo q formidable en-
emy. Considering myselfa bottcr marks.
man than the boy, cautioned him not to
shoot unless became disabled, or in the
ovent Of being separated from him.
Thus arranged, I advanced . few stops
and fred deliberately, sending o ball
through the centre Of the body bringing
tho slumhcrs Of tho noble animal to .
premature close. He awoke enragcd,
roarcd, toro the trees with his teeth and
claws, and on seeing mo no prepared to
spring toward me. fired again, hit.
ting him in tho breast, which shortened
his leap, although no struck tho ground
within thirty feet Of mo. My large dog,
Bulgcr, white English mastiff, standing
BY, at signal from mo, rnshed to meet
tho Homemade good effort to hold him
but was tossed through the air some
thirty feet. Being good game he again
rushed to tho attack; l advacing at the
same time with cooked gun in hand wish.
ing to thrust tho gun barrel into his
mouth aud shoot him intcrnaly. lie
rushed at me few leaps. l knew I
must be rcsolutc; I was so almost to des.
peration. I caught his 6cry cye-he
quailcd eye was rivitod upon me. I
o'..' "o'""eo~ az ssoPPco, 1V"eIeu utS
tail, turned and fed. My DE-, though
crippled, still pursued him about two
hundred yard. through the woods. I
followed as fast as I could. The lion
jumped upon the first limbs Of large
tree fully fifteen feet from the ground.
I advanced to within forty yards Of tho
tree, and again opened shot upon him
shooting six Minnie balls clear through
his body in different directions. l had
only one moro ball loft, which shot
while ho was lcaping about in tho tree.
This took effect in the right fore foot,
which infuriated him more than ever.
He beat tho air with bis wounded foot,
soared, tore the bark from tho tree and
started at me furiously. My boy was
standing about fifty yards from mo. I
called to him to bring my gun fright.
enod. he put the gun down and ron off.
I ran to the gun as fast A. I could, the
lion pursuing by jumps from troo to tree,
and when l reached the gun he was leap.
ing into ono nearly over me and BY the
time I was ready to fro no had come
over me, and rnade . spring at mo. In
an instant I ai,nod deliberately, knowing
If missed my tinno had como. l fred
giving him twelve buckshot ia tho heart.
I saw ho was mortaily wounded, but able
to hurt me. threw my gun down, drew
my knife, and STEPPED back few pacos.
Ho struck the spot upon which stood
when l last 6red, reared up, and made
spring at me. Iavoided his 6rst. bpt
could not escape tho second. He sue.
oeeded in laying hold uponAmy arm with
his mouth, aud had kis foro leg around
my waist, leaving mo tho use of my right
arm; aud l assure you made quick and
good use Of It, form an instant would
hare. beep torn to pieces and, with oil
the strength and eeler'ty that knowl.
edge Of the immiusnce Of my danger
could impart to my arm, ! cut bis throat
from ono side to the other. Tho blood
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