Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1875-07-21
- -
Lions In their Families.

| had not gone far from camp, and, most
carelessly, my gun was still unloaded, when
| saw my gun-bearer, who had my cartridges
running away at full speed. Knowing that
he must have seen something to frighten
him so, did not shout, but went to where
he had been standing, and there, not twenty
yards off, were pair of lions they were
both full-grown, and the male had an i'm
mense name. The lioness was rolling on
her back, playiully striking ut her lord and
master with her fore paws, like kitten,
while he stood gravely and majestically
looking on. | stopped moment to watch
them, though the ground was quite open,
and they must have seen me if they had
looked round, and then | rushed off after
my KafTir; but when had succeededin get
ting him they had gone. once had the
pleasure of, unobserved myself, watching a
lion family feeding.
was walking out in Zululand, toward
evening; at about a mile from camp saw
herd of zebras galloping across, and when
they were nearly two hundred yards off, |
saw yellow body flash toward their leader,
and saw him fall beneath the lions weight.
There was a tall tree about sixty yards from
the place, and | stalked up to it, while the
lion was to much occupied to look about
him, and climbed up. He had by this time
quite killed the animal, but instead Of
proceeding to eat it, he got up and roared
vigorously, until there was an answer and
in few minutes a lioness, accompanied by
four whelps, came trotting up from the
same direction as the zebras, which no
doubt she had been to drive toward her hus-
band They formed fine picture as they
all stood round the carcass the whelps tear
ing and biting at il, but unable to get
Il.
and the lioness, driving her offspring before
her, did the same four or five yards off, up
on which he got up and, commencing to eat,
had soon finished hind leg, retiring few
yards on one side as soon as he had done so
The lioness next came up and tore the car
cass TO shreds, boiling huge mouthfuls, but
not objecting to the whelps eating as
much as they could find. There was
good deal of snarling and quarreling among
these young lions, and occasionally a stand
up fight for minute, but their mother did
not take any notice of them, except to give
them a smart blow with her paw when they
got in her way.
At last one of the whelps, having proba-
bly, eaten as much as it could gorge, began
to wander about, and in few minutes came
my way. Seeing it so near, the idea of
catching it entered my head, and descending
to the lower branch, | waited till it came
underneath and dropped down over it, seiz-
ing IL with both hands; but | had counted
without my host; the little beast snarled
and bit at my bare arms in such a fashion
that | was glad to fling it away and scuttle
up the tree again as fast as | could, out of
the way of the enraged mother, who was
coming down at full gallop, her tail carried
out straight behind, and looking the very
personification of fury. She rushed right
against the tree in her blind fury, and then
running up, glared at me and roared terribly.
| might easily enough have sent my spear
into her; but as there was not the faintest
chance of its killing her, and it would an.
swer no useful purpose, | refrained and
watched her instead as she flew at her Off
spring and drove it, yelling at her rough
treatment, toward the others. There was
now left of the zebra but few bones, which
hundreds of vultures were oircling round
wanting to pick, while almost an equal num-
ber hoped awkwardly ON the ground within
fifty or sixty yards Of iti and the whole lion
family walked quietly away, the lioness lead
ing, and the lion, often turning his head to
see that they were not followed, bringing up
the rear.-Drmmond "Ldrge Game in
SouiLensiern 4 fricd"