St. Tammany farmer., 1888-03-17
THE LION.
At Times q Wonderful Coward,
But Not AlWay&

/ believe that every man who has
been in the lion country will agree with
me that he would rather meet . full
grown lion under almost any circum-
stances than an English bull dog. The
lion is the king Of beasts only now and
then. Now and then he is the king Of
towards A bull dog is all determine
ton. A lion schemes and calculates
and takes no chances.
While assisting in the official survey
OF the northern portion Of Cape Colony
it was an almost everyday occurrence
to sight a lion. and the adventures OF
our party were numerous, If not peril.
Gus. We got 50 that We feared the
beasts only at night. or when we came
upon them at their meals. Almost the
first lion saw in Africa proved him
self an arrant coward. Twas left to
set . boundary stone between districts
-xnle the surveying party moved on.
The hunters were out after fresh meat,
the camp was two miles away. and l
was working with my back to a patch
Of tall 9rass with . bush in the center
oft The entire party Of us had stood
there for . quarter Of m hour without
seeing or suspecting any danger, but .
lion was all the while concealed in the
patch. He kept quiet until the men
were q mile away, and then crePt for
ward for . spring 1T me- heard .
movement in my rear rs ! worked
away. and whirling about found my
self face to face with . full-grown lion.
He was crouched for . spring. and
would have been upon me in another
ten secorii~
Twas terribly scared and had no time
to collect my wits. but | did just the
right thing after all I jumped right
at the brute with q loud yell. and he
vent bounding away like bull fol-
lowed him into the patch in my excite
ment and he ran out in the open plain.
droppin9 his tail like cur and evil
IDENTIFY badly ratified. had light
spa.le in my hands. and Is he lodged
about to get back to cover hit him
swinging blow over the rump He
ve,lcd out like . dog hit with stone.
S.n .rer. made . dash between my
Iccs. and again got into the grass.
foIlowed close upon his heels. yelling
at the top Of my voice. and what did thu
coward do but bolt for tho open with
his tail dragging in the grass. A he
left cover l flung the spade and struck
him in the side and staggered him. He
cDxled and showed his yellow fangs,
Sut there was no fight in him. When
Giumped At him he ran away over the
Main toward broken ground. and aftcI
chasing him for . quarter OF mile.
~,vc M and sat down. The men d
~ party came running up. amazed
md astonished. and even though they
h.d seen all that happened. they could
.c.rcely credit their sight and senses
1lnocfed the courage al out Of th'
h..st bv wheeling on him jnst At th'
-;~ht second. By upsetting his plan
-.ae : coward Of him. Had bull
~ meant to attack me. my turning
him would not have made the slight
IT,
Ct difference.
4 sev weeks later. while pushing my
~ down . dry ravine to reach n
s-;nence on which I was to display I
s.rto the surveyor. I turned bend .
. trot and ran square upon lion. VIII
- euawing At the bones OF some ols
ssceim. He lay on his stomach. hea.
a
!. ~ and did not see him until
-. almost upon him. He sPrang n
- ! arowl. made . short spring. AM
.";..d me BY the left shoulder. an
- moment was down and he va
.a;no over me. It had come .
Sdeniv that I was dumbsounded.
~ not make . move. nor call out. tn
80 could have done for me in fiftee
ss.,nds had he 50 willed. but after b
M downed me and growled little b
e..led OF, and - soon - l moved
- mo hs ran away like . scared ca'
80. rood look at him as hs stoo
80 me-. and noticed . long. dee
= scratch, on his right fors
s.,Ssr Il had besn made either b
~ .1.v. Of another lion or BY the hor
hu6alo. and was just beginning
sl The beast had Ill tho advantas
- and his running swaV could