Omaha daily bee., 1883-06-13


While l followed the lions old trail II
had been following me! l al back.
The perro was working further from
our path. Luckily l struck at ono
the spot where no had branohed away,
bat 1t was slow lifting his path
through the forest. l had made up
my mind to return when the c'amor
changed to yelps and howls. The lion
had faced about, struck down my dog,
and perhaps was tearing him. As fast
as possible 1 hurried on.
"But II lions mean killing, all IL
over In All instant when they have
their victim down, aud the porro's
miserable yellS showed him to be still
living Alter awhile l camo up. See
the marks!" Wa observed two deep
soS,s on the left shoulder, aud two
Fighter one,; two rugged punotures
on the right. Tore the pums's claws
had grssped willis, he struck.
"The children loved my dog, and
no artery Was cut. / shredded soo,s
Spanish moss, bound up bis wouuds,
s'uug him In my soArf, mud oct out tor
home; 90 far had We wandered that II
raj nearer han the corral. 1 am
strong, scnoreS, but the Aun wss hot,
and u deg Is heavy on ones shoulders.
No path led through the forest, and l
coaid not fool sure, not being an It.
dian, that l was following the true
eouree. A hundred times l though
Of dropping the poor animal, but i
had moi the heart whom he licked my
neck, and remembered what his fats
would bs-dGvodrod alive by slts and
fl es
Presently he became restless, aud
then he growled. ut needs many
lesUonR to learn a fool, ssys tho prov.
erb / hit him with my elbow, bul
no would not Go quiet. BE began t.
bark foebly, gathering up his limbo
poor beast! l suddenly caught the
hint and turned. At q few yards dis
tsnoo tho bushes softly uwsyed be-
side my track! The Hon MAS follow
ing again. / looked to my rifl, anG
set forward. In ten minutes the
growing recommended, aud the *
element of the perro grew stronger
and stronger. The brute waa creep
Ing up! l cooked my gun, fscNS
round, bat that devil was quicker.
Nothing could DO seen but the waving
of tho TWICE. i fired q chance shot &c
no effect, aud resumed my wsy, after
loading. For O long time all wsi
quiet. | gsiaed the river bank, and
was working down, relieved of al
anxiety, for the spot was familiar.
La all hour / should be- at homo.
Beyond a broad belt of reeds anG
swamp ground lay tho clearing Tha'
WAS An ugly bit To traverse with a lior
at ones neels, and l congratulate my
self he had run HysY. Oae could mo-
see n yard on either hand when, hal
way through, the perro growled anG
bnrked and Struggled In greater agita
ton than before. l cried to the saints
and tho Bweat poured down. When
| turned the reeds were all bending ans
~quIvaring but five yardu away. l sho
and hurried Oh, but the ground wa
difficult. In q few moments the do
again gave warming and the reee
swayed all about. l shot But no,
the dog did not cease to raise sue!
feeble clamor as no could, and I she
rs fast rs l could load. Madre dt D)ic
o senores, what u run that wac!
"The firing saved me! Two va
, queros resting Ia the shape knew tn
sound of my piece, and came to NEE
r me ~hslloolng The perro was slmou
ohoked In commissions by this time
and l believe that lion had just gath
cred himself to spring when the
. shouts alarmed him,
4 "Now, senores! What was tn
l. creature that pursued mo thus,
broad daylight, though l tired Into
very iaws"
Might 1t not hnve been a jagusr'
I seksd timidly.
lyon are ignorant of our woodc-sf
10 senior! Way should q tiger follow
d mani The brute was not hungry, Il
70 It left my dog. And If q tiger had b
haved In that strange way, he won
have sprung as 500 as he came II
70 No! 1t was u lion-but o black one
"Did you follow Its trsil2'
% IL could not fad a tigrero till ne:
10 day. Then the footsteps were trsokt
for miles after 1t left me, going strsigI
for the hills. Tho Indians saw 1t "
= travelling, and returned. We ha'
8 had no alarm OF black lions rince. Al
70 from that time, senores, 1 have III
derstood how q kind action does n
go unrewarded. For If I had aba
le doned my dog, I should never hs'
ls reached home that day"
1t When We left In the dawn, that c,
d cellent rsnchsro presented each Of
z, with n puma akin. Mine is still Q
t. ornament of the bungalow.