River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1880-05-20
BATTLING WITH LIONS.
Exciting Encounter with Lions i'm the
Jungles of Africa.
London Standard


Mr.. F. FAlkner Carter, in charge OF
the elephants attached to the royal
Belgian Expedition into Africa, gives
the following exciting account OF a sud
den encounter which he had with lions
at Kerima, Central Africa, at which
place he and his caravan of one hun
dred and eighty men had arrived. Ia
q letter received from him by the last
mail, dated from that station, he men.
tions the difficulties he had experienced
in procuring animal foodfor his men.
sour only food" ne says consists OF
Indian corn, pounded between two
stones with good share of sand, and
only salt with it. 1t is well to have
even this, but still, men accustomed all
their lives to have good animal food
can not live on such poor fare, and SO |
go out every second or third day and
kill zebra, Gland, waterbuck, 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. l felt that l must go
in search of food as there was not at
that time morsel in our camp so forth
I sailed. My first shot was at 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 smoking pipe and taking some
rest was off again; got shot at a
zebra, but missed him. The zebra l
should mention, is the best meat in
Africa. Rather disheartened, and
grieving for the poor hollow-eyed tel
lows should meet on my return, for
whom had nothing In the shape of
food, | turned toward camp, and just at
$50 P. M. fine boar dashed past me.
l sent bullet through him at once. but
he went. / knew, however we should
find him dead few hundred yards
ahead by the quantity OF blood in the
long grass; so followed, but just then
sighted three zebras-so dropped pig
gie's trail and went off to try and stalk
the zebras. In about ten minutes after
| heard fearful row, and my two gun
bearers said it was a rhinoceros. laid
hold of my No. 10 bore, handing my
express to my bearer, telling him and
the man carrying my smooth bore to
keep close to me. L glided silently
through the grass over six feet high until
close to the spot; then knew if 1t were
rhinoceros that he was lying down as
| could not see sign of him, SO | de-
cided it must be two wild bears fighting.
Something told me they could not
make such q horrible noise, which
actually seemed 10 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 | advanced boldly, dividing the grass
with my rifle Then discovered three
lions devouring the pig j 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 a
hall 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 tame lion Is
savage when eating his food. The lion
opposite caught sight of me at once,
curled his lips, dashed his sides with
his tail, but what the others were doing
/ can not say, as my friend was IN the
act of spriDging, L dare not take my
eye off him for second. At last he
crouched for the spring, and let drive
in his face, retreating step to give me
a chance with the other barrel at one
of the remaining two, determined to
sell my life, but to my great delight
these two sprang over the grass in OPP
posite directions. / gave sort of a sigh
of relief, looked round for my gun.bear-
ers, 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 on. l returned
to pick up my dead lion, but found he
haze crept away with bullet throuffh
him, ] followed his his trail until the
Jungle got too thick and it being nearly
| dark"