The Russellville Democrat., 1888-08-30

the end of our scheme. Others have tried it. but no animal caught that way lived to reach Amsterdam.
 On the ninth day, having discovered a runway down which tho lions came to drink at the river. we prepared a trap by digging deep pit. This was the work of natives, and their skill was something to wander at. When they had finished their work, the keenest white man would have kept the path without suspicion of danger A few branches and reeds held up layer of earth, and this earth was so patted down that it seemed to have been trod- den for weeks. When all was ready the natives broke branch of a bush beside the path in peculiar way. This they told us would prevent hyenas or jaclxals from following the path. Then rag was hung on limb over the path to keep hoofed beasts from walking into our pit, and an was ready.
 When night came we heard lions all around us, and one came so close to camp as to alarm us, but if they went to the river they did not follow the path we had meddled with. The next day was very close, and we were sanguine of what the night would bring forth. was in hopes we might capture the big male lion which had disturbed our camp the night previous. He was a monster, had very heavy mane, and, as we could see by the spoor left be- hind, his right fore foot had been hurt at some time. When night came two lions began Investigating our environ ment, but neither was full grown. Up to eleven o'clock the big fellow had not appeared. and the natives argued from this that he was lying beside some game he had killed, and would be certain to go after water before vis- iting us. Such was probably the case. It was little after midnight when we heard sound between scream and & roar, and the natives began to shout and explain that the noise was uttered by the lion as he felt the earth giving way under him.
 Daylight had hardly come when scouts went out to the pit to investi- gate. They speedily returned with the news that We had trapped one of the biggest lions in Africa We had to take ropes and a cage over, and | when reached the pit the lion was sitting on end and looking up at the crowd as if greatly puzzled. He had made a great fuss and tired l himself out, the pit being so deep and narrow that he had no chance to use his powerful muscle in a leap. Having placed the cage, we
 ran one end of the ropes through the
 bars and made slip-nooses at the other. | For full hour the old fellow fought | the nooses of whenever they touched
 him, but by and by we got one over his | head and another under hind leg. | and up he came in a heap, choking, biting, striking and gasping. We 1 hauled him in the cage and released the ropes, and when he got his wind he was so mad and disgusted that he | slumped down on the floor and shut his eyes and cried. When we had time to | look him over, we found one of his | forefeet crippled. He must have cut it | open on sharp rock long time be-
 fore, for it was fully healed up, though | it bothered him to walk. He was the identical chap who had almost leaped
 into our camp, and his weight, as re- I corded at Amsterdam, was fourteen | pounds heavier than any lion had shown for three years. In the course of the month we got two others, both | full-grown, and all were sent of from the coast in good condition. I. | Sun.