The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1873-08-15

l U9Qtu, anu uV4S S0fSS',a'S
and MbuluaAne, they abound, troops oil
len or twelve being by no means rare.
Like oil the feline tribe, they hunt more
by right than by day, butin the uniuhab.
led dEsiricls, they proWl about by day
light, especially when hungry. When
their hunting has been successful, they
sleep the whole day in some thicket hard
by their prey, returning TO It after their
evening drink, as like all carnlvOra they
must drink frequently, and their presence
Is sure sign. Of water being near.
Their fayorlte food Is buffalo and zebra,
preferably the latter, though they gener-
ally go after the former, aS they are more
easily stalked from frequenting the thick
er parts Of the jungle.
Sometimes, when attracted by meat,
they will come and roar all night within
few yards Of the camp, and cases have
occurred when they have attacked It
remember one man.. European, who
had 10 spend the mig he In a'tree watching
male lion which had sprung Into the
camp, andBeized apiece Of meat, kindly
taking no notice Of the terrified scramble
| he caused, and, which, AFTER roaring Tor q
i little, was Joined By Two lloneses, the
three proceeding 10 eat all the buffalo
meat In stock, one 6lwAYs keeping guard
while the other two went 70 water.
This Is a habit OF theirs when they
hayo killed anything, 10 protect u from
yultures, wolves, and jackals, which, II not
prevented, would pick the bones clean in
q few minutes.
know Dutch hunter, o very power
full man, who was once sleeping out near
the NkwaVuma. He had been unSuccess.
fully pursuing game ell day, and had
made no camp-ience or other protection,
as be had got no meat with him. During
the night he was awoke by something
catching hold OF his arm. Thinking 1t
was wolf, he made tremendous effort
to Tree himself, striking out at 1t with the
disengaged arm. The blow was such that
It did not knock the animal down, 1t at
any. rate drove 1t back, and enabled him
10 snatch up his rifle and fire. The lion,
as 70 his astonishment 1t turned out 70 be
Jumped away roaring, and next morning
was found dead few yards of.
They are excessively fond OF eating
buffalo and other game, killed 10 late in
the day 10 be broken up, and, even when
the hunters are sleeping by It, they will
come almost within the glare Of the FIRE,
and tear and crunch away, taking no no.
dee OF shols or stones, but an occasional
growl, unless hit, when they are pretty
certain TO make one spring into the centre
Of The camp and do all the mischief they
can. Apr0pOS Of this, l remember hear
ing Of 8 very pluckY thing done by ma.
tive hunter Of friend Of mine. He had
killed q buffalo and was sleeping out by 1t
alone, and during the night heard crunch.
ing going on that only lions powerful
Jaw could produce. Hesgot up, and by
the dim light Oh a third quarter moon
could Just make out the outlines oil two
lions, about twenty yards of. He took q
steady sim-he emily had ABingle barrel
and fired at the nearest, which made q
bound upwards and fell dead The other
took oinotice, and altar Q minute re-
sunned It's meal, upon which he quietly
loaded and shot Il dead upon the spot. It
showed great pluck, for alone In the dark
with two lions, and only one Ghot 70 trust
TO, Is anything but . pleasant position.
Sometimes IrhR7e heard the most eX-
traordinAEY concerts going on round
game the lions were feeding on, wolves,
hyenas, and jsckals keeping up . contln.
ual round OF howllDg,, Equealing, and
laughing which, being Interpreted, meant,
l suppose, that they were very hungry
and wished. the lions would clear out aud
let them begin. It is'by nomeans I'M
usual to find q wolf or jackAl lying dead,
punished on the spot fol-. daring to APP
proach too near the bigger robbers sup
per, and ! have often seen the spoor Of
where a lion had chased wolves several
hundred yards away from his prey.
q Much has been written about their
roar, and / must confess 70 having been
disappointed In 1t ct first, but after o time
I discovered that, though II has no 10;
semblanco TO thunder or anything OF that
sort, It really Is very awe.inSpiring
sound. Il commences BY a low booming
gtoWl, repeated two or three times, and
Increasing in loudness until 1t becomes a
roar that fills the air, and thea dies away
again In low muttering. Z Lions coming
from different direction will often keep
Il up for half an hour answering one an
other, and 1t shows how the animal Is
dreaded, that the moment II Is heard near
camp there Is a dead silence. More wood
ID hastily ,heaped on the FIRE, and all the
natives uneasily shin their positions, and
take up their guns and spears. More
than once / have lost q nights sleep by q
aerenNde Of this desert iion, the lions be-
ing hungry, smelling dur meat, and keep.
ing about close TO until dawn. The
low, warning moan uttered by them, If
you approach too near a thicket where
they are concealed, Is q most unpleasant
noise, and when i flBt heardit, i almost
took ittor the moan Of some largo animal
In pain; but 1t invariably means that tho
lion Is In bad temper, and you had bet
ter not go too close.
The danger, II you do come TO close
quarters With them, can hardly be exag.
Eeratcd. There are cases where, single.
handed, and armed only with spear, 81
native has succeedoddn killing ono that
has sprung on him, without receiving
anything but trifing injuries; but these
AEe'onlH exeept Mons that prove the rule
thu where BhlY trikg they kill Unlike
other large game, they divide thsiE Gtten.
Aions equally, springiDg from one 10 an
another, and lighting with tooth and
claw In the most wonderful manner. II
is grand sight to SEQ one charges native
regiment sent, out after Il, @ hey SOME
times are springing over The heads Of. the
first line right into the centre, flying about
knocking men down with every blow,
until complete SelVe ct aiSdgAi wounds,
Ii dies fighting.
They generally lie In the kAhu. thorns,
or In the dense eVergreeHs which hne the
rivers, and In the summer In the reeds.
The best chances for killing them are OBJ
tanned In the former place, as, you often
come across them asleep when you are
stealing about alter gAtne. II Is better
not IN Are n Tia head ia fnunPA vnn 90