The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1885-08-07

stand. from the simple fact that my legs
could net bend to let me fall. Being made
thus secure, the question naturally presented
itself, could | endure the strain untll relief
came, or would die there, and make food
for the buzzards had noticed in the after
noon lowering around for meal off the car
caSS of the buck.
had about concluded that the lion was
dead or had left, when he began to make the
most fearful racket roaring S g ana
tearing things up generally he would rush
to the edge Of the cliff and peer down at me,
his luminous eyes looking like. Goals OF lire.
ana then disappear from my slght Az last,
just as the first gray streaks OF morning
position again, and reaching FAR down over
the rocks. swayed back and forth a lew tiihes
and then. in the agony of death, made an ex-
piring spring at me.
You may be sure that was giving him my
whole attention, and when saw his great
body flying through the air toward me
threw myself to one side and avoided the
force of his fall He caught me on the shout
der with one paw, though, and ripped my
arm nearly to the wrist as he went, with
low. had sufficient strength to recover my
upright position, but the shock was too
much for me and | tainted.
| must have been insensible a long time,
for when | opened my eyes the sun was
shining full in my face. | could hear the
pleading whine of my dog on the rock above
me, and assure you it was the sweetest mu-
sic that ever greeted my ears. Soon | saw
his honest face looking down at me with as
ture sympathy in it as was ever expressed
on human countenance, and then in a mo-
ment | heard voice cry out, For Gods
sake, Jack, is that you? We will have you
out in a moment;" and the crisis being oven
l took occasion to faint again.
l was on the top of the cliff when next
opened my eyes, being vigorously rubbed
and piled with whiskey by my companions,
and in about an hour | started for camp,
half carried and half led; but was an old
man in appearance, for when they hauled me
up out of the jaws of death on that precipce
/ brought with me head Of hair as white as
the snowy blanket you see on yonder noun
tain.
learned that my companions had made
the most strenuous efforts to find me, having
shouted and built fires, thinking l had lost
my way and couldn't find camp, and might
thus be enabled to see or hear them. They
didn't think of letting my dog find me until
towards morning, when they returned to
camp, tired and discouraged, just in time to
see the faithful animal striking out in bee
line in the direction had previously taken.
having gnawed his rope Off, apparently to
join in the search. They had hard race to
keep him within sight, but succeeded in do
where | went over the cliff, thus being the
means of saving my life. The dear old fel-
low is now too decrepit to go on a hunting
excursion, but you bet he lives on the fat OF
the land, and is the especial pride and pet Of
my wife, who thinks he did good job when
he saved me to be caught by her.
The day following my rescue, the boys
went and got the skin Of the lion, which
proved to be one Of the largest size, measuT-
ing over seven feet from tip to tip. The rifle
was also found, but was so bent and battered
as to be entirely useless, although / keep il
at home, as Inemento of my night of hor-
rors.'
Now you have heard my story said he in
pipe; land with your kind permission III
turn in. May you have pleasant dreams