Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1882-11-12
THE LION.
How the King OF Beasts Kills His
Prey.

[ once had rare chance of seeing
lion catch and kill his prey in the
open daylight. While on a short
hunt to the north of Waterberg, in
the Transvaal, in the winter of 1874,
when Dutch Boer, we saddled up
one afternoon to shoot a couple of
quaggas (Burchell's zebras) for our
followers, quagga meat being pre-
ferred above all others by the ''nig-
ger" of that country. We had rid
den a considerable round without
falling in with any, but about an
hour before shutdown we came across
a troop of about fifty. Galloping
up within shot, we fired, when one
mare dropped. Reloading and mount
ing, we started after tie troop,
which had now disappeared over
a ridge. On gaining the rise, we
saw the quaggas failing out in the
hollow and commencing 10 ascend
second slope, one or two stations
bringing up the rear, as is usually
the case. Gathering on, my COM
panion suddenly pulled up and
pointed out to me a lion trotting
swiftly up across the qauggas' line
of retreat, behind a few scattered
powders and low bushes dotting the
slope, evidently with the intention
of securing the supper. We moved
slowly forward, when the hindmost
stallion, thinking we were getting
too close, started after his compan-
ions at smart canter. 1t was now
exciting. The quagga was close to
the line of the lions approach;
couple of seconds more aud the dark
mass of the lions form shot out
from behind stone on his prey. In
a moment the quagga was on the
ground The lion left him instantly,
moved few yards distant, and lay
down with his head away from
the quagga. Twitching his tail
nervousIy from side to side,
as much as to say, Il have done that
properly" The whole thing was
done so quickly and suddenly that it
is difficult to describe. The lion had
not yet seen US, but riding nearer he
turned and faced, looking rather put
out at our appearance on the scene
At first he seemed inclined to bolt,
but at last lay down, facing US, evil
IDENTIFY unwilling to give up his game.
Being anxious to examine the quag.
ga, and knowing my Boer friend to
be reliable, we rode up to about fifty
yards and dismounted. L held the
horses, keeping my double rifle in
reserve in case of accident. The
lion, not liking the look of things,
got up and walked a few steps tos
ward US, growing savagely. [ told
the Boer to shoot straight, which he
did, hitting the lion with his old six
othe~pound on the point of the
shoulder, the bullet passed out be-
hind the other shoulder, dropped the
lion on the spot.
On examining the quagga it W uld
appear from the claw mark that the
lions left forearm was thrown over
the wither and the claws fixed in the
shoulder, the right forearm's claws
III the chest; the left hind claw had
been driven into the flank little be
low the level Of the hIp bone, the
right hind foot evidently On the
ground, thus holding the animal as
in wise, while the teeth had met in
the neck, about three inches or four
inches behind the ears, smashing the
bones as efectually as a two ounce
bullet. My two trout fingers met in
the bite>hole Death was instan~
taneous. The lion was a full grown
male, with perfect teeth. On pre-
vious occasion, a riding mare belong
ing to friend of mine, was killed
near Wonderfontein, Transvaal, one
night, close to the wagon, while on a
blesbok hunt The mare was hobs
bled when caught. The claw marks
and the bite that killed were identi>
cal with those on the quagga. From
all testimony that l could gather
from old hunters during seventeen
years residence in the Transvaal, and
my own limited observation, | would
say that the lion uses his claws as a
holding power, and kills by bite.