The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1878-10-10

myself, and you can not even recover
my body Suddenly noticed that my
companion had left me- turned and
saw him a stones throw down the plain,
making the most frantic gesticulations
to me to come away. | beckoned to
him angrily to come back, but he only
redoubled his protestations and entrea-
ties. Acting on the impulse of the mo-
ment, lifted my rifle and pointed it al
him, and then he came toward me, run
ming in zig-zag line, like one bewitch-
ed, shouting and believing without ces-
sation. As soon as he was near enough
l understood him to say that must not
kill the woolya-woolya, or chiefs beast
that the soul of a great warrior had
entered the lion with the black lock,
and much other superstitious nonsense.
| think this exhibition of cowardice
made me ashamed of my sentimental
ism. But give you my word, gentle
men, drew bead three times on that
animal, and each time some kind of
feeling made me lower the gun. Every
/ time that l took aim Zimbobo threw
/ himself on the ground and rolled over
and screamed as if in commissions. |
wanted that skin, if only to show Bar
biere, and l knew if lion could get
| down to that shore | could, but some
| kind of dread mystic sense that to kill
the beast was to invite an unknown dan
ger, stopped me. Finally, | shook off
this feeling and fired. The bullet struck
him. just above the left eye, plowed a
cash in his skin and cut the upper part
of his earoff. He never moved an inch.
Asthe report of the gun died away,
Zimbobo lifted himself cautiously and
peered over the bank. The lock of
terror in the poor wretch'S face as he
saw the lion sitting there undisturbed,
was pitiable. l seized his gun, and
aiming at the animals heart, fired
again. This time the whelp, which was
frisking about, jumped in front of him
as fired, and received the bullet, rolled
over with piteous cry and died. The
parent lion examined it Il moment, nosed
it over, and even licked the spouting
wound. Then terrible change took
place in him. He uttered a roar that
made the cliff tremble, and shook him
self. The black lock on his forehead
seemed to bristle His tailed dashed the
air. With quick motion of his head
he seemed to examine the bank up and
down for the most accessible storming-
place, and then, with peculiar parting
roar, half growl and half yell, but full
of vengeance, he gave me fiery look
and bounded off down the shore.
" We had no breech-loaders, and while
l was putting fresh bullets into the
pieces, Zimbobo was on his knees beg
ging me to come away, and assuring me
that woolya-woolya would come again
stwo meaning that he would be joined
by his mate, and together they would
avenge the death of their offspring. l
laughed at the fellow, and told him we
would take back two skins then instead
of one. But did not linger. On the
whole, was promised little more lion
hunting than had bargained for, and |
was anxious to get back to our compan-
ions before nightfall.
Twice, as we were crossing the prai-
RE, limbo 90 cfutched me suddenly, and
babe me listen. Then heard in the
distance that unmistakable roar. 1t was
a new sensation to feel that a relentless
beast was hunting for me. 1t did not
increase my comfort to be told by the
native that the lions cry of vengeance
was utterly unlike its other sounds of
passion that it was no unusual thing
for the male to be left in charge of
whelp, and that it never forgave an in
jury to its charge. We reached the tent
just at dusk, and l ate very hearty
supper of antelope. Whether it was the
meal or the lingering results of my sick
ness, do not know, but the strange
roar of that beast was in my ears all
night. Fancy my surprise the next
morning when the natives reported that
the tracks of two lions were visible all
around the tent. We joined our party
day later, and went down to Eboi,
where there was n missionary station.
The villagei is amere collection of kraals,
with the exception of one twO-story
frame and adobe house, erected by Il
Dutchman a year or two before, as an
ivory depot and trading post. A party
of Baloch soldiers had cut him to pieces
one day, and the place fell into the
hands of a shrewd French priest. As
our party had TO remain at Eboi two or
three days, Barbiere and |, now that our
quarrel was made up, were furnished
the luxury of bed in this frame house,
on the second floor. The first night
that slept there | woke suddenly out of
a sound sleep in strange terror. | had
heard that ominous growl again, and it
seemed perilously near.
"A full moon was shining-just such
night as this-hOt as Tophet and
bright as day. The. Lieutenant, who
was sleeping with me, was snoring I'M
consciously. got up, went to the open
window, and started as if struck. There,
sitting on his launches, on the bit of
lawn under the window, was my lion,
looking up at my window, his tail with
ing in the grass, and his black lock
bristling. | even saw, in that one
glance, the scar over his eye that my
bullet had made 1t was the work of an
instant to seize my rife and fire at him.
The report brought Barbiere to his feet,
and alarmed the whole house. Every
body turned OUTPUT not trace of the
beast could be found. The Balochs
hunted al Though the timber without
success. They only found his tracks
What was extraordinary, there were
three or four mules and two milch-cows
in the kraal, and one of the former was
loose, and had not been disturbed.
"Well, a week later we reached
Usambala, pretty well used up, and then
heard that we had been followed all
the way by lion. Now leave it to
you whether such a circumstance will
not work in a mans mind, especially on
the mind of n man who expects to
spend a good deal of his time III Central
Africa. Once after that l heard the
sound of my pursuer's voice. 1t was the
night we left Usambala. The Lieuten-
ant was with me, and heard it also. l
wish | could describe the sound to you.
l had heard lions roar before, but this
was entirely unlike the usual sound. In
fact it was indescribable."
At that moment deep moan sounded
through the room, making the glasses
tremble. 1t rose to a growl, and ended
with sound not unlike the baying of
mastiff.
"What's that?" EXCLAIMED Stark,