Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1880-07-16
Sport i'm Central Africa.

Mr.. I. Falkner, in charge Of the elc-
plants attached to the Royal Belgian
Expedition into Africa, gives the fol-
lowing exciting account of o sudden
encounter which he had with lions ut
Kerima, Central Africa, at which place
he and his caravan OF $50 men had ar.
rived:
Our only food consists of Indian
corn pounded between two stones, with
good share of sand, and only salt
with it. It is we'll to have even this,
but still men accustomed all their lives
to good animal food can not live on
such poor fare, and so go out every
second or third day with my gun and
kill q zebra. Gland, water buck, etc.
One of any Of these enables us to live
in clover for single day. A recent
expedition of this kind, however,
nearly cost ne my life. felt that l
must go in search Of food, as there was
not at the time morsel in our camp,
and so forth sailed. My first shot
was at u giraffe. into which l put two
bullets and then followed him over
hill and dalo until noon, when heat,
thirst, and want Of food obliged mo to
give up the chase. After smoking
pipe and taking rest, I went off again,
got shot at zebra, but missed him.
The zebra, l should mention, is the
best meat in Africa. Rather disheart.
ened, and grieving for the poor, Lol-
low-eyed fellows should meet on my
return, for whom 1 had nothing in the
shape of food, turned toward camp,
and just at $3.50 p. NJ, q fine boar
dashed past me. sent bullet
through him at once, but ON he went.
l knew, however, we should find him
dead few hundred yards ahead by the
quantity of blood in the long grass, so
l followed. but just then sighted three
zebras, 30 dropped piggie's trail and
went off to try and stalk tho zebras.
In about ten minutes after l heard q
fearful row, and my two gun-bearers
said it was rhipoceros. I laid hold of
my No. 10 bore, handing my express"
to my bearer, telling him and the man
carrying the smooth boro to keep close
to ne. 1 glided silently through tho
grass, over six feet high, until close to
the spot. Then knew if it were rhi-
nocerous that he was lying down, as l
could not see sign of him, 80 decided
it must be two wild bears fighting.
Something told me they could not
make such horrible noise, which &C
tually seemed to shake the ground and
rend the very air around me. Strange
to say, it never struck me that thu noise
nigh proceed from lions, although the
place is full of them, so l advanced
boldly, dividing the grass with my
rifle. then discovered three lions de-
vouriBg the pig had shot, and in that
short time they had finished half of it.
| The two nearest were within two feet of
me, and the furthest three feet and q
half of. Tho 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
l cannot say, as my friend was in the
act Of spriuging, and l did not take my
eye off him for second. At laAt ha
crouched for the spring, and let drive
at lis face, retreating a step to give me
4 chance with the other barrel at ono
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 sort of
sigh of relief, looked round for my gun
bearers. and they were fifty yards off,
trembling with fear and blue with
fright. The rascals had run away, and
l had no gun to fall back upon. 1 re-
turned to pick up my dead lion, but
found lie had crept away with bullet
through him. l followed his trail until
the jungle got too thick, and, it now
ieing nearly dark and Ialong way from
! camp, l gave up the search. The whole
affair did not last more than ten sec
onds, but during the time it came into
my mind Here is the lion Mrs. S.
wants, with an adventure attached to
it,"