Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1878-07-11
The Lions Embrace.
From the Pough ksepsis press.

fSAAsSSSeSAA TAAAO NClCU10LEutIlG
lion huLt while in Algeria, got two
shots at q lion, which bounded away into
the covering Of evergreen oak OF ilexes,
groaning at the same time, as il much
hurt. The next morning the Arabs were.
ordered TO- bring their horses from the.
encampment, while they set off to fol-
low the traces OF the wounded beast.
The Arabs assisted in the search, keep.
ing, however, at respectable distance,
amid tufts of broom and diss or tall grass,
But we must let our hunter relate his
experience of lion's embrace in his own
words for such experiences are not of
every day occurrence:
IS Suddenly q powerful roar came forth
from the midst OF one of these tufts, and
/ saw the lien raise up, and with the
first bound he came within six yards of
where I stood. Flurried by the i'm
minence Of the danger I fired without
taking aim, and I had barey time to
press my finger on the trigger fefore the
enormous mass fell upon me, crushing
me down. was overthrown, my head
downward; the lion was over me and
had my right arm between his jaws.
Obeying the instinct Of preservation, I
endeavored to obtain possession of my
pitols with the left; but they had fallen
out of my waistband when / was struck
down. I was thus left helpless against
my terrible adversary, without any other
means OF defence than my arms, one of
which was paralyzed in the animals
mouth.
"The lion, however, let 90 my arm,
and sought to catch me by the head; the
spring which he took from behind to eff
fectsth caused me to slip under him,
but his tooth took my lower lip in the
movement, and cut it down toIthe chiu. By
superhuman effort seized the lion by the
name over the ear and slipped my thumb
over his lower jaw. / managed to keep
1t at distance; another movement made
me slip further, SO that he could no long
er catch my hand without changing his
position; but he seized my arm a second
time and bit severely. All this had taken
much less time than has been occupied
in the description. Never having los TINY
senses, then shouted out, "Here, Car
tain, help" But in vain. was alone,
my strength began to fail me, in
consequence Of the prolonged resistance
| had opposed to my adversary, and the
pain that his bite gave me. I was indeed
sinking, when l perceived that the lion
was less vigorous; and that be appeared
even as if about to let go. This inspired
me with new courage, and also gave the
captain time to discharge his double-bar-
relied rifle into the TANKS Of the animal.
Happy for me the balls had no impetus,
or they would have gone through me as
we'll. 1t was afterwards ascertained that
these balls not being conical, only penet-
rated an inch or two, whereas nv last
ball, having struck it in the breast, had
injured it both in the lungs andr egions
OF the heart
"These two new wounds hence only
increased the fury of the beast, which
letting go OF my arm seized me by the
shoulder, the only part of me that he
could lay hold of; then, rising upon his
hiod legs,he bounded towards the bottom
OF the ravine. carving me with him. This
was terrible moment, and I thought
had reached my last.
As he went along my head struck
against tree, and my back chafed on
the rocks; nevertheless shouted out:
"Captain, take my gun; it has still
one barrel loaded,
Is I do not know if he heard me, but he
did nothing. 1t was in these trigbtful
fortunes that arrived at the bottom of
the ravine, always borne along by the
lion, also holding by him with the lett
hand. This resistance irritated him so
much that he made two desperate efforts
to shake me of. and L felt my shoulders
cracking in his formidable jaws. Sud-
denly ] saw him sink down and fall over
on his left side, his headquarters pres
sing. my legs; The lion was expiring F.! 1t
was high time. let 60 the name, and
clutching by q tuft of grass I raised my
self by supreme effort, stepped over the
PROSTATE beast, and climbed up TO the
point from whence he lad dragged me.
Then the pain in my arm became agoniz-
ing, and tryingto move it arm and fingers
both obeyed nv will. saw with Joy no
bones We're broken, only the arm had
been frightfuliy bitten"