The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1888-02-16
THE LION.
At Times a Wonderful Coward,
But Not Always.

AT Times a wonderful Coward,
But Not Always.
/ believe that evory 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 determina-
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 lion. and the adventures of
our party were numerous. if not peril
-ouS. We got so 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. | was left to
set boundary stone between districts
while the surveying party moved on.
The hunters were out after fresh meat,
the camp Was two miles away. and |
was working with my back to a patch
of tall grass with bush in the center
oft. The entire party of US had stood
there for quarter of All hour without
seeing or suspecting any danger. but
Hon was all the while concealed in the
patch. He kept quiet until the men
were mile away, and then crept for
ward for spring at me. | heard
movement in my rear As | worked
away, and whirling about | found my
self face 10 face with = full-grown lion.
He was crouched for spring, and
would have been upon me in another
ten seconds.
was terribly scared and had no time
TO collect my wits. but | did just the
right thing after all. | jumped right
At the brute with 4 loud yell, and he
went bounding away like bull. fol-
lowed him into the patch in my excite
,;nent, and he ran out in the open plain,
dropping his tail like cur and evil
IDENTITY badly ratified. | had light
III III isbhbSs anu rs llt lOuSCu
about to get back to cover | hit him
swinging blow over the rump He
yelled ont like a dog hit with a stone.
fell over. made Il dash between nv
legs. and again got into the grass.
followed close upon his heels. yelling
at the top of nv voice, and what did the
v coward do but bolt for the open with
his tail dragging in the grass. As he
left cover flung the spade and struck
him in the side and staggered him. He
growled and showed his yellow fangs,
but there was no fight in him. When
/ jumped at him he ran away over the
plain toward broken ground. and after
chasing him for 4 quarter of Il mile, |
gave up and sat down. The men of
the party came running up, amazed
and astonished, and even though they
had seen all that happened, they could
scarcely credit their sight and senses.
/ knocked the courage all out of the
beast by wheeling on him inst ut the
right second. BY upsetting his plan
made a coward of him. Had a bull
e. dog meant to attack me. my turning
ON him would not have made the slight
est difference.
A few weeks later. while pushing nv
way down dry ravine to rrach an
~eminence on which WAS to display
flag to the surveyor. / turned bend ut
a trot and ran square upon lion. who
was gnawing at the bones of some old
victim. He lay on his stomach, head
to me. and did not see him until l !
was almost upon him. He spraug up
with growl. made short spring, and
seized me by the left shoulder, and
next moment | Was down and he was
Standing over me. 1t had come SO
suddenly that l was dumbtoundcd. |
did not make move. Gor call out. The
beast could have done for me in fifteen
seconds had he SO willed. but after he
had dOwned me and growled little be
backed OF. and rs soon as | moved to
get up he ran away like a scared cat
had good look AT him as he stood
over me. and / noticed long. deep
.cut. or scratch, on his right fore
shoulder 1t had been made either by
the claws of another lion or by the horn
OF buffalo. and was just beginning to
heal. The beast had all the advantage
of ME. and his running away could be
laid to nothing but cowardice. but he
was to redeem himself.
When we had gone into camp that
evening there were fifty people of us.
with four or five wagons. Il score OF
horses, and from thirty to forty bull
locks. We made quite village; and
noisy one. Just while the supper fires
were being repienished. and when
everybody was moving about, this same
lion came out of thick piece of woods,