The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1880-06-17
BATTLING WITH LIONS.
Exciting Encounter with Lions In the
Jurglcs of Africa.

JuEglcs of Africa.
Mr.. +. Falkner Carter, In charge of
the elephants attached to the ROYAL
Belgian expedition into Africa, gives
the following exciting account of sud
den encounter which he mad with lions
at Kerma, Central Africa, at which
place he and his caravan of one hun
dred and eighty men had arrived. In
n letter received from him by the last
mail dated from that station, he men
tons the difficulties he had experienced
in procuring animal food for his men.
"Our only food" he says, consists OF
Indian coin, pounded between two
stones, with a good share of sand, and
only salt with it. 1t is well to have
even this, but still, men accustomed all
their lives to good animal food cannot
live on such poor fair, and so ! go out
every second or third day with my gun
and kill zebra, Gland, water-buck, etc
One of any of these enables us to live in
clover for a single day. A recent ex-
petition of This kind however, nearly
cost me my life | felt that must 20
in search of food, as there was not at
the time morsel in camp, and so forth !
sailed. My first shot was at giraffe,
into which put two bullets, and then
followed him over hill and dale until
nool, when heat, thirst and want ot
food obliged me to give up the chase
After smokinga pipe and taking some
rest | was oil again; got shot ut II
zebra, but missed him. The zebra, |
should mention, is the best meat in
Africa. Rather dishcartened, and griev,
ing for the poor hollow-eyed fellows !
should meet on my return, for whom |
had nothing in the shape of food, |
turned toward camp, and just at $3.50
D. m. n fine boar dashed past me. lsent
a bullet through him at once, but on he
went. knew, however, we shou d find
him dead Il few hundred yards ahead,
by the quantity of blood in the long
grass; so followed, but just then
sighted three zcbras so dropped pig
gie's trail and went off TO try and stalk
the zebras. In about ten minutes alter
heard fearful row, and my two gun,
bearers said it was a rhinoceros. l lald
hold of my No. 10 bore, handing my
express to my bearer, telling him and
the man carrying the smooth bore to
keep close to me. | glided silently
through the grass, over six feet high,
until close to the spot; then knew that
if it were rhinOceros he was lyng
down, as | could not see a sign OF hlm;
so | decided it must be two wild boars
fightings. Something told me they
could not make such a. 'rrible noise,
which actually seemed to shake the
ground and rcnd the very air around
me. Strange to say, it never struck me
that the noise might have proceeded
from lions, although the place l. full OF
them, so | advanced boldly, dividing
the grass with my rifle then discov.
cred three lions devouring the pig had
shot, and in that short time had finished
half of it. The two nearest were within
two feet of me, and the furthest three
and half feet. The brutes' boards
chests and claws were covered with
blood Though startled at first, | was
perfectly cool, and yet felt perfectly
certain that must be killed, as even a
tame hon Il savage Wnen ealllg his
food. The lion opposite caught sight OF
me at once, curled his lips, lashed his
sides with his tail, but what the Others
were doing cannot say, as my friend
was in the act of springing, and | dare
not take my eye of him for a second.
At last he crouched for the spring, and |
let drive in his face, retreating a step to
give me chance with the other barrel
at one of the remaining two, determined
to sell my life dearly, but, to my great
delight these two sprang over the grass
in opposite directions. | gave a sort OF
sigh of relief, looked around for my
gun bearers, and there they were, fifty
yards off, trembling with fear and blue
with fright. The rascals had run away,
and | had no gun to fall back upon,
returned to pick up my dead lion, but
found he had crept away with bullet
through him. / followed his trail until
the Jungle got too thick, and it was
nearly dark London Standard.