The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1878-10-18

rife. and Zimbobo carried another y
lighter bore. also had with me pail
Of French pistols and an American
bowie-knife. not unreasonably hopet
TO bag an antelope At least. but you car
not understand my desire until you
have lived for = week on ghee and man
ioc and rice, with arrowroot boiled il
nut-oil for occasional dessert. In about
an hour we broke through this fog, and
came out on wide prairie, dotted here
and there with stunted mimosa trees,
and growing thick in spots with panda'
na palms. l noticed as we went on that
the timber grew scant and that we were
travelling up slight grade. had the
good fortune to start herd Of antelope
about noon. and brought one down.
The place where II fell was unsheltered,
and leaving Zimbobo to cut it up,
strolled on, seeing some trees ahead
which would afford me shelter from the
sun.
" lmagine my surprise when reached
the trees to find myself upon the edge
Of an almost perpendicular bluff, 80 or
40 feet high, that extended on either
hand as far as could see. The scene
that burst on me was so unexpected and
SO strange that il almost took away nv
breath. At the bottom of the bank or
cliff was a white strand, 10 feet wide,
and beyond that lay blue and cleaning
the waters Of Lake Baringo, dotted with
. million wild fowl. the sun had
dispelled the mists of the morn
ing, and far away to the north
saw the white peaks Of the Snow
Mountains. Beckoring and shouting to
the native TO follow me, walked along
this cliff searching for a place 70 get
down, feeling sure that would find a
ravine worn through il somewhere. At
one place had to skirt grove of gum
trees, that grew very thick and was
heavily interlaced with a rank creeper.
| was compelled to go quarter Of
mile out Of my way, and thus lost sight
Of the bluff for awhile. On the other
side of the grove Zimbobo Joined me.
and together we slowly approached the
ravine through the grass and under
brush. The moment stood upon the
edge Of the bluff once more, and looked
down at the sand and water, 1 received
. surprise and sensation that were
new to me. There, not so feet from me,
in an imperial attitude upon
he beach, was magnificent lion. For
IN instant admiration and establishment
almost petriTied me. The beast was q
awny male, with q jet black lock hanging
'ver his forehead. He had heard us ap-
preaching, and was facing us with
aim, defiant air. At his side, frisking
md tumbling, was whelp, utterly in
locent of our presence. / remembered
Jules Gerard's words If ever Won
'ome upon his majesty from a steep ele-
'ation, and have good weapon, he
viii resign his scepter to you,' look |
d up and down the bluff. He was CON- /.
'leteiy At my mercy. On one side rip !
led the waters of the lake, on the other |
}. saeer bank of 40 feet rose above
i'm. lifted my rifle and cock
: Then occurred most extra
rdinary struggle in my mind. The
on appeared TO comprehend the situa-
on- lie looked steadily at me, then
armed his head toward the lake, passed
Is eye slowly along the bluff, up and
own, and then with a majestic air sat
own upon his launches, and renewed
Is contemplation of me. For the first
me in my life felt ashamed to fire nv
IN. You viii say i was sentimental.
ut ] ask you why q man becomes SEN
mental all at once. 1t was certainly
ew feeling to me. The beast himself (,
'emed to say; Il am waiting TO see if
ou are such q superior animal as to kill ,
70 or wound me when can not defend !
yself, and you can not even recover
y body Suddenly noticed that NV |
had left me. turned and l
w him q stones throw down the plain. 4
aking the most. frantic gesticulations ,
me 70 come away. beckoned to !
m angrily TO come back, but he only '
doubled his protestations and entrea-
3. Acting on the impulse Of the mo
emit, lifted my rifle and pointed it at /
m, and then he came toward me, run I
ng IN zig-zag line, like one bewitch- '
!, shouting and believing without ces- 4
ton. As soon as he was near enough
understood him to say that must not o
II the woolya-woolya, or chiefs beast
that the soul OF great warrior had n
tered the lion with the black lock,
q much other superstitious nonsense. .
think this exhibition of cowardice 1,
Ade me ashamed of my sentimental ii
.. But give you my word, gentle a
IN, drew bead three times on that Il
imal, and each time some kind of Il
ling made me lower the gun. Every
ne that l took aim Zimbobo threw b
nself on the ground and rolled over Il
d screamed as If in commissions. III
'nted that skin, if only to show Bar Il
re, and knew il lion could get y
wn 70 that shore / could. but some n
ID Of dread mystic sense that TO kin r
. beast was to invite an unknown dan n
:, stopped me. Finally, shook OF II
3 feeling and fired. The bullet struck n
= just above the left eye, plowed a ia
sh in his skin and cut the upper part
his ear off He novor ,,,o,-1d -. ...~L A.,