Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1888-04-11

SAT that moment, to my establishment and
alarm, there came an answering roar from
the direction Of the river and then another
from behind the swell of bush. Evidently
there were more lions about, The wounded
lioness redoubled her efforts, with the object,
I suppose, Of summoning the others to her as
sistance. At any rate they, came, and
quickly, too, for within FIVE minutes, peeping
through the bushes Of our skerm fence, we
saw magnificent lion bounding along to-
ward us through the talrl tamboulin grass
that in the moonlight looked for all the world
like ripening corn. On|hs came in great
leaps, and glorious aghh it was to see him.
When within fifty yards on Iso he stood still
in an open space and roared, and the ioness
roared too, and then there came q third roar,
and another great black, NAMED hon stalked
majestically up and joined No 2, and really,
7 began to realize what Jim-Jim must have,
undergone. iI,',,f.. ma,
"'Now, Harry I Whispered, whatever
you do, don't fire-it's too risky. II theyilst
US be, let them be- '''"'" ''''u ..gy.I
"Wen, the pair Of them marched off to the
bush, where the wounded honess was now
roaring double tides, and the whole three Of
them began to snarl and grumble away to-
gether there Presently, however, the Lion
ess ceased roaring and the two lioas came ont
again, the black mAped one firzt-&opf prospect,
I suppose-and; walked to where the carcass
of the OK lay and shifted at 1t.
"tOh, what a shotn whispered Harry, who
was trembling with excitement.
"Yes, said, but don't fire; they might
all of them come for u.s.
'Harry said nothing, but whether it was
from the natural willfufness Of youth, or be-
cause he was thrown off his balance by e1-
element, or from sheer recklessness, am
sure cannot tell you, never having been
able to get satisfactory explanation from
him; but at any rate the fact remains, he,
without word Of warning, entirely disre-
garding my exhortations, lifted up his West
ley Richards and fired at the black named
lion; and, what is more, hit it slightly on the
flank.
Next second there was most awful roar
from the injured brute. He glared around
him and roared with pain, for he was sadly
stung; and then, before could make up my
mind what to do, the great black NAMED
brute, evidently ignorant Of the cause of his
pain, sprang right at the throat Of his COM
panion, to whom he evidently attributed his
misfortune. It was O curious sight to see the
evident astonishment Of the other lion at this
most unprovoked assault. Over he rolled
with on angry roar, and on to him sprang
the black named demon, and commenced
to worry him This finally awoke
the yellow named lion to sense
of the situation, and am bound
to say that he rose to the occasion in q
most effective manner. Somehow or other
he got to his feet, and roaring and smarting
frightfully closed with his mighty foe. And
then ensued O scene that absolutely battles
description. You know what q shocking
thing it is to see two large dogs fighting with
abandonment. Well, a whole hundred Of
dogs could not have looked half so terrible
as those two great brutes as they rolled and
roared and rent in their rage. It was an
awful and O wonderful thing to see the great
cats tearing at each other with all the fierce
energy Of their savage strength, and making
the night hideous with their heartshaking
noise. And the fight was a grand one, too.
For some miautes it was impossible to say
which was getting the best Of it, but at last
was slightly the bigger, was failing. I am
inclined to think that the wound in his flank
crippled him. Anyway, he began to get the
worst Of it, which served him right, as he
was the aggressor. Still could not help
feeling sorry for him, for he had fought a
gallant fight, when his antagonist finally got
him by the throat, and, struggle and strike
out as he would, began to shake the life out
Of him Over and over they rolled together,
an awe inspiring spectacle, but the yellow
boy would not loose his hold, and at length
poor black name grew faint, his breath came
in great snores and seemed to rattle in his
nostrils, then he opened his huge mouth,
gave the ghost Of a roar, quivered and was
dead
"When he was quite sure that the victory
was his own, the yellow named lion loosed
his grip and shifted at his fallen foe. Then
he licked the dead lions eye, and next, with
his fore feet resting on the carcass, sent up
his own chant Of victory, that went rolling
and pealing down the dark ways Of the night
in all the gathered majesty Of sound. And
at this point interfered. Taking careful
sight at the center of his body, in order to
give the largest possible margin for error,
fred, and sent $40 express bullet right
upon his mighty foe.
'At that, fairly satisfied with our perform
ances, we slept peaceably till dawn, leaving
Pharaoh to keep watch in case any more
lions should take it into their heads to come
our way.
"When tho sun was fairly up we arose, and
very cautiously proceeded-at least Pharaoh
and did, for I would not allow Harry to
come-to see if we could see anything Of the
wounded lioness. She had ceased roaring
Immediately on the arrival Of the two lions,
and had not made sound since; from which
we concluded that she was probably dead.
was armed with my express, and Pharaoh,
in whose hands a rifle was indeed danger
Gus weapon-to his companions-had an ak.
On our way we stopped to look at the two
dead lions They were magnificent animals,
both of them, but their pelts were entirely
spoiled by the terrible mauling they had
given to each other which was a sad pity.
"In another minute we were following the
blood spoor Of the wounded ioness into the
bush, where she had taken refuge. This, !
need hardly say, we did with the utmost
caution; indeed, for one, did not at all like
the job, and was only consoled by tt Q re-
Election that it was necessary, and that the
bush was not thick. Well, we stood there,
keeping as far from the trees as possible,
and poking and peering about, but no ioaess
could we see.
"'She must have gone away somewhere to
die, Pharaoh said in Zulu.
eyes, Inkoos' (chief, he answered, she
has certainly gone away
Hardly were the words out Of his mouth
when heard O most awful roar, and look
ing round saw the lioness emerge from the
very center of bush just behind Pharaoh,
in which she had been curled up. Up she
went on her hind legs, and as she did so l
saw that one of her fore paws was broken.
Up she went, towering right over Pharaoh's
head, as she did so lifting her uninJured
paw to strike him down. And then, before
I could get my rifle round to do anything
to avert the coming catastrophe, the Zulu
did a very brave and clever thing. Reallz
ing his own imminent danger, he bounded
to one side, and then, swinging the heavy
ax round his head, brought it right down on
her back, severing the vertebre and killing
her instantaneously. 1t was wonderful to
see her collapse all in heap like all empty
sack.
"'My word, Pharaoh I said, that was
we'll done, and none too soon.'
EYES, he answered, it was good stroke,
Mkoos Jim-Jim will sleep better now.'
"Then, calling Harry to us, we examined
the lioness She was old, if one might judge
from her worn teeth, and not very large, put
thickly made. and must have possessed e1-
traordinary vitality to have lived SO long,