Morning journal and courier., 1882-10-18
Lion Killing q Gus aga

once had a rare chance of seeing 8 lion | catch and kill his prey in the open ln day
 light. While on short hunt to the north of \ Waterbsrg in the Transvasl, In the winter of ! 1874, with Dutch Boer, we saddled up one | afternoon to shoot couple of quaggas (Burchell's zebra) for our followers, quagga meat being preferred above all others by the nigger of that country. We had ridden considerable round without falling in with any, but about an hour before sundown we came across a troop of about 50. Galloping up within shot, we fired, when one mare
 dropped. Relocating and mounting, we start
 cd after the troop, which had now disap-
 peared over a ridge. On gaining the rise we
 saw the quaggas talling out In the hollow ana
 comm enoing to ascend 8 second slope, one or
 two stallions bringing up the rear, as IS usual
 ly the Gathering on, my companion l suddenly pulled up and pointed out to me a lion trotting swiftly up across the qusggas' line of retreat, behind few scattered bould- CTS and low bushes dotting the slope, evident ly with the intention of securing his supper. We moved slowly forward, when the hind- most stallion, thinking we were getting too close started after his companions at a smart l canter. It was now exciting. The quagRa | was close to the line of the lions approach; 1 a couple of seconds more and the dark mass I of the lions form shot out from behind 1 stone on his prey. In 8 moment the quagga | was on the ground. The lion left him in | stantly, moved few yards distant and lay |
 twitching his tail nervously from side to side, | as much as to say, ''I have done that proper ! ly.'' The whole thing was done so quickly 1 and suddenly that it is difficult to describe | The lion had not yet seen us but on riding
 nearer he turned and faced, looking rather | put out at our appearing the scene. At first he seemed inclined to bolt, but at last lay down facing us, evidently unwilling to give up his game. Being anxious to examine the quagga, and knowing my Boer friend to l | .zlsl 1A HNo ol,Nn yordG
 dismounted. held the horses, keeping my
 double rifle in reserve in case of accident.
 The lion, not liking the look of things got
 mp and walked few steps toward us, growl-
 ing savagely. tsld the Boer to shoot straight.
 which he dld hitting the lion with his old
 six to the pound on the point of the shoulder;
 the bullet, passing out behind the other
 shoulder, dropped the lion on the spot. On
 examining the quagga it would appear from the claw marks that the lions left forearm was thrown over the wither and the claw fixed in the shoulder, the right forearm, } claws in the chest, the left hind claws hat } been driven into the flank a little below th' level of the hip bons the right hind foo t evidently on the ground, thus holding tn l animal as if in wise, while the teeth had me - in the neck about three inches or four tnchs 8 behind the ears, smashing the bone as effec @ tually as a two ounce bullet. My two iron = fingers met in the bite hole. Death was in l. stantaneous. The lion a full-grow s male with perfect teeth On 0 previous ot IS cason a riding mare belonging to friend c Il mine was killed near Wonderfontein, Trans l. vaal, one night, close to the wagon, while o l. a blesbok hunt. The mare was hobbled whe |, caught The claw marks and bite that kille 5s were identical with those on the quagg y From all testimony that I could gather fro " old hunters during 17 years residence in tt y Transvaal, and my own limited observation g. I would say that the lion uses his claws as 'h holding power, and kills by bite.
 lg