The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1880-05-13
An Encounter with Lions.

Mr.. F. Falkner Carter, in charge of
the elephants attached to the Royal Bel
gian Expedition into Africa. gives the
following exciting account of a sudden
encounter which he had with lions at
Kerima, Central Africa. at which place
he and his caravan of $50 men had ar
rived. In letter received from him by
the last mail, dated from that station, he
mentions the difficulties he had expert
enced in procuring animal food for his
men. "Our only food" he says, Consists
of Indian corn pounded between two
stones, with a good share of sand, and
only salt with it. 1t is we'll to have even
this, but still, men accustomed all their
lives to good animal food, cannot live on
such poor fare, and 80 l 60 out every
second or third day with my gun and
kill zebra, eland, water buck, etc. One
of these enables us to live in clover for
single day. A recent expedition of this
kind, however, nearly cost me my life.
I felt that I must 60 in search of food, as
there was not at that time morsel IN
our camp, and so forth I sailed. My
first shot was at a giraffe, into whom |
put two bullets, and then followed him
over hill and dale until noon, when heat,
thirst and want of food obliged me to
give up the chase. After smokings pipe
and taking some rest, WAS off again, got
shot at zebra, but missed him. The
zebra, should mention, is the best meat
in Africa. Rather disheartened, and
grieying for the poor hollow eyed fellows
I should meet on my return, for whom |
had nothing in the shape of food, Iturned
toward camp, and just at $50 p. IN. a fine
boar dashed past me. I sent bullet
through him at once, but on he went. |
knew, however, we should find him dead
few hundred yards ahead by the guam
tity of blood in the long grass, SO | fol-
lowed, but just then sighted three zebras
so dropped piggie's trail and went off
to try and stalk the zebras. In about ten
minutes after heard a fearful row, and
my two gunbearers said it was rhinoce-
ros. I laid hold of my No. 10 bore,
handing my "express" to my bearer, tell
ing him and the man carrying the smooth
bore to keep close to me. Iglided silent.
ly through the grass, over six feet high,
until close to the spot; then knew ii it
were rhinoceros that he was lying down,
as could not see sign of him, so de.
cided it must be two wild boars fighting.
Something told me they could not make
such horrible noise, which actually
seemed to shake the ground and rend the
very air around me. Strange to say, it
never struck me that the noise might
have proceeded from lions, although the
place is full of them; so l advanced
boldly, dividing the grass with my rifle.
then discovered three lions dev0uring
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
brutcs' heads, 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 tame lion is savage when eating
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 I cannot say, as my friend
was in the act of springing, and / dare
not take my eye off him for second.
At last he crouched for the spring, and l
let drive in his face, retreating 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 de-
light these two sprang over the grass in
opposite directions. gave a sort of sigh
of relief, looked round for my gunbearers,
and 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. I fol-
lowed his trail until the jungle got too
thick, and it being nearly dark.