Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1875-07-21
A LEONINE GROUP.


lls Family of Lions at Dinner.
/ From Large Game in Southeastern Africa
Perhaps the most beautiful sight that
| ever saw in connection with them was
on morning when I had gone out to
hunt with one bearer at dawn. I had
not gone far from camp, and most care
lessly, my gun was still unloaded while
L was examining some buffalo spoor,
when, on looking up. [ saw 1uy 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 ne had been standing, few yards
ahead, and there, sure enough, not
twenty yards off, were pair of lions;
they were both full grown, and the male
had an immense name, and they
formed altogether as handsome pair
as ever saw. The lioness was rolling
on her back playfully striking out at her
lord and master with her forepaws like
kitten, while he stood gravely and
majestically looking on. I stopped a
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 Kaffir to
load. The position they were in was
good, and might have killed one to a
certainty, If not both; but when 1 had
succeeded in getting him down from
the top of big tree and went back,
they had gone. [ suppose they must
have got our wind. No doubt they had
been hunting all night, and had been
down to the river to drink preparatory
to going to bed.
l once had the pleasure Of, unobserv-
ed myself, watching a lion family feed
ing. was encamped on the Black
Unlfolosl, Zululand, and toward even
ing, expecting friend, I went out to
meet him, and instead of taking a gun
which [ should have done ninety-nine
times out of hundred, I only took up
one of the Kaffir's spears, not intending
to so beyond a couple of hundred yards
However, not meeting my friend, went
on, and at about half mile from camp
saw herd OF zebras galloping across
me, and when they were nearly 200
yards Off, saw a yellow body flash to-
ward the leader, and saw him fall be-
meath the lions weight. There was a
tall tree about sixty yards from the
place, and, anxious to see what
went on, [ skuIked up to it,
while the lion was still too much
occupied to look about him, and
climbed up. He had by this time quite
killed the beautifully striped animal,
instead OF pring to cub dote eat it he
got up and roared vigorously until there
was an answer, and in few minutes a
honess, accompanied by four whelps,
came trotting up from the same direc-
ton as the zebra, where no doubt she
had been to drive Il toward her hus-
band. They formed a fine picture as
they all stood. round the carcass, the
whelps tearing. aud biting at it., but un-
able TO get through the tough skin.
Then the lion lay down, and the lioness,
driving her offspring before her, did the
same four or five yards of, upon which
he got up and commenced to eat, and
soon finished hind leg, retiring on one
side as soon as he had done SO. The
lloness came up next and tore the car
cass to shreds, boiling huge mouthfuls,
| but not directing to the whelps eating
as much as they could find.
There was d good deal Of snarling and
quarreling among these young lions,
and occasionally stand -up fight for a
minute, but their mother did not take
any notice of them, except to give them
a smart blow with her paw if they got
IN her way At last one of the whelps,
having probably eaten as much as it
could gorge, began to wander about,
and in few minutes came in my way.
Seeing it SO near, the idea Of catching
it entered my head, and descending to
the lower branch I waited tilllit came
underneath and dropped down over it,
Selling it with both hands; but I had
counted without my host; the little
! beast snarled and bit and tore at my
bare arms in such fashion that 1 was
glad to Ting it away and scuttle up the
tree again as fast as could out of the
way CT the enraged mother,
who was coming down at full
gallop, her tail carried !, out
straight behind, and looking the. very
personlfication of fury. She raised
right against the tree in her blind fury,
and then, running up, glared at me,
and roared terribly. I might easily
enough have sent my spear into her,
but as there was not the faintest chance
Of its killing her, and it would answer
to no useful purpose, / refrained, and
watched ner instead as she few at her
offspring. and drove it, yelling at her
rough treatment, towards. the others.
There was nothing now left of the zebra
but few bones, which hundreds Of
vultures were circling round wanting to
pick, while almost an equal number
hoped awkwardly on the ground within
fifty or sixty yards of it; and the whole
Lion family walked quietly away, the
ioness leading, and the lion, often
turning his head to see that they were
not followed, bringing up the rear.
Writer'S CraMp.
Civilization is ever developing new
i. q