River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1875-04-09

roar, followed by others nearly as bad,
and then continuous growing. As soon
as We fired we had fallen back little,
and laid fiat on the ground and com.
menced to reload. On looking up We saw
the two lions together slowly going down
the hill on the other side. rushed for
ward to get another shot before they dis
appeared, but the cap snapped, and by
the time had another ready the lions
had disappeared among the underground
in the edge of the wood. We did not
follow them, but we heard them growl.
ing for fifteen minutes. By this time
the whole camp was in an uproar, and it
was finally decided not to pursue the
lions that night, but to take the trail
early in the morning.
SECOND DAYS HUNT.
About three hours later the same par.
| ty that had started after the lions before
now struck the trail again. 1t was not
difficult TO follow, for there was, now and
then, blood upon it. 1t led us up and
around the side Of hill, until we came to
the table land between that and another
hill. We went down this for an hour or
more, when the leader, who was hun
dred yards or more in advance, motioned
US to stop. He rode back to us, spoke
something in Arabic to those in advance
of us, when he left his horse and went
ahead on foot. We all then dismounted,
left the horses in charge of three of the
men, and followed, at some distance in
the rear of the leader, in perfect silence.
In few minutes we began to hear a
noise, which at once gave us to under
| stand that we were near the object Of our
search. 1t was a deep, rumbling growl
We now took our way more cautiously
than before, until we came to place
where there was an abrupt descent for
about fifty feet. Here the trail struck off
to the right and descended. In looking
down into the narrow valley below us we
saw to the right thicket of dense under
growth. 1t was from thence the noise
proceeded. The brush was so thick that,
Notwithstanding the elevation and our
downward view, we could see nothing.
The spot where We halted was covered
with fair-sized trees, mostly white oaks.
We immediately placed ourselves at
the brink, side by side. with our guns
ready. Thus far we had made no noise,
but one of the Arabs, in getting into his
position, had slipped and let his gun fall
against some rocks. Immediately there
was loud growl, and the male lion
LEAPED AT ONE BOUND
into the open space at the foot Of the de-
clivity. shall never forget the feelings
of that moment. The magnificent beast
stood there for q second, the very person
iiication of power and rage his heavy
name stood out like bristles, his eyes
seemed to fash fire, his mouth, widely
distended. emitted q roar which caused
the very rocks under US to vibrate. 1t
was but a second, although it seemed an
! age. Nine guns shed before him, but
their leaden hail seemed only to add fuel
| to his rage and not to weaken him. We
were too high for him to reach as. In
| his rage he tore the earth before him With
his paws, and roared until my nerves
seemed charged with powerful charge
of electricity, and could but with diff
Guilty reload my gun. But suddenly he
darted away 20 the right. Then the lead
er cried out for US to
CLIMB THE TREES,
and everybody ran for a tree and com
menced to climb. In my nervousness
found had left my gun. ran back to
get it and just as had reached the tree
and commenced to climb, the lion bound
ed up the Hill at the side. lie paused for
a moment. was unable to climb. /
dropped my gun on the ground and then
dropped myself. | caught his eye. Some
body saws if you look lion boldly in the
eye he will not harm you. As a
last resort, tried 3it on this
one; but he must have been u different
kind Of lion, or else my effort was a
very weak one. | saw that he had made
up his mind to eat me, and my look did
not seem to make any appreciable change
in his line of conduct, so | Just stood my
hair all on end, whitened up my face, and
started down the other side of the hill
on little sweepstakes Of my own. But
il was unnecessary, for at that moment
the men in the trees opened ON the lion,
and one ball went through his heart, and
he fell from midair with a gigantic bound
but half completed. The men jumped
down, and rushed toward him, but they
stopped very suddenly, for the old king
of beasts, royal in death as in life, by u
terrible effort. sprang up on his launches
to leap again at his dcstroyers, when
death seized him and he fell short of his
mark.
OUR REJOICINGs
were cut short by somebody raising the
question Of the whereabouts Of the lion.
ess. Two Of the Arabs started down 10
the thicket. A moment later We heard
couple Of shots and shout Of triumph.
We all Immediately went down, and
found the lioness quite dead. and almost
cold. The Arabs claimed to have killed
her; but | knew, and SO did they, that 1t
was false.
Tive men were left in charge Of the
bodies, and the remainder returned to
camp. In the general rejoicings that
night, after the lions had been brought in,
though often invited, Antoine and took
no part. But in the morning, after mak.
ing some presents to the Sheih, who
now recovered, aud taking our leave,
mounted our camels aud returned TO Am
0ussera carayansary.
A ScIlooImnster Around Loose.