The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-12-30
LION HUNTING.
STORIES OF ADVENTURES WITH
THE KING or BEASTS.

| thirsy people. We had horses oxen, wagons
/ and dogs, and we're spread out over two acres
| OF ground. II was in the lion country, ano
/ they might be expected to approach az night
| but ON the second afternoon Of our camp
while all we're engaged IN cleaning mp and
making repairs, an alarm was suddenly
raised. supposed that some Of the animals
had stampoded aud ran around the wagon
| 10 get a clear view OF the space between u.
and tho creek. This creek was 200 foct away
and was so nearly dry that one could steI
| across it. The bank on the other side Wa.
rocky ground, pretty thickly covered with
scrub. and right on the brink stood ono Of
the largest lions ever saw. Tie was out in
iull view, head and tail up and stood 50 still
Ter a moment that ! doubted II he was alive.
There was q ! chit breeze blowing toward
MS. and as soon as our animals got tho scent
.t required the efforts Of every native 70 pre-
vent them from breaking away. Ny guns
were being cleaned and oiled, and my two
white companions were looking after their
horses. No one had the least idea that the
lion meant mischief, and we were presently
lumfounded 10 see him spring across the
creek and come walking into camp. We
measured bis leap and found 10 to be twenty.
eight feet He made 10 without an effort. ]
vas 70 tho right Of him, and the center Of the
amp was his objective point. The lion adj
yanced AT n walk, uttering no sound, and the
shouts. screams and whoops Of the men.
backed by the believing Of the cattle and the
,uorts Of the horses, had no effect on him.
cool AND BUSINESS LIKE.
L. tr..I.4 IN frr
II one Of the wagons, and the lion advanced
% within thirty feet OF her, aud then made
pring which landed him fairly upon hei
JACK. She fell IN heap. aud he seized her
ly tho neck, gave her two or three shakes
which broke the grass rope around her head
md be then got bis right shoulder under her
md started of. The COW weighed at leas'
100 pounds, but he carried her with perfec.
aso, her hind feet dragging on the ground
AZ tho creek he made a jump of eleven feet,
seconded q sIoping bank without a halt, ano
Don disappeared IN the broken ground With
lis prey. lie was gone before we bad gun
eady Indeed, we were lucky not TO have
Ost half our animals. | was no Creenhorr
q the animal business at that date. but this
vas the first time had ever witnessed sucl
heck in a lion Had been told that he bad
uch courage and GOODNESS / should have
lughed the statement 10 scorn.
IS soon as order had been restored the
hree Of MS mounted our horses and, preceded
~ five or six natives and their dogs, crossed
he creek and took up the trail After going
bout half mile wo discovered the lion sit
iug beside the carcass in a little hollow IL
vas sitting up like a dog, head turned 20
yard us, but as soon as he saw Us divide be-
an OF with his tail down, evidently
thoroughly alarmed, ana such was his speed
nat we soon lost him. Wo could count or
MS returning 10 the body during tho night,
md the natives were therefore set to worl
dig pit and conceal it. They regarded
he lion as being as cunning as be was wise,
md the pit was not dug near the body, bur
hirty feet away from it aud in tho direction
n which il was believed he would drag the
lody.
II a lion or tiger leave a body during the
lay and returns 20 It at night tho first act is
% drag It some distance, as if fearing an am
)uscade While the rule is not inyariable, il
holds good IN most cases. During the night
dozen lions scented around our camp, but
without causing any alarm, and soon after
daylight the natives went ont TO investigate
be trap. No hunter ever had such q wind
all before or since. As night came several
ions must have scented tho carcass, and
altered for feast. The righttul owner ob-
octed, Of course, and there was a fight, the
result OF which was that three full grown
males tumbled into our pit. This fact did
not prevent others from picking tho carcass
clean. Ono Of the captives was the cheeky
Id fellow who had entered our camp, and
Inc other two were fully as large. In the
course of tho forenoon wo had them out and
in the cages, and two Of them are in the
United States today in geological gardens
There are plenty OF instances where men
lavo been seized by lions and lived TO relate
the particulars, though no two agree as 20
sensations a week subsequent Co our cap
cure OF the three lions had been out with
some OF the natives 30 prepare a bait in a
rocky ravine We bad built a stout pen Of
rocks and logs and placed a calf as d bait
The sun was nearly down as we started for
amp, and no one had the least suspicion Of
the presence Of danger until a lion, which
had been crouching beside bush, sprang ont
and knocked me down In springing upon
his prey the lion or the tiger strikes as be
ieizes This blow Of the paw, If it falls on
the right spot, disables the victim al once.
/ was So near this fellow that no simply
reared up, seized me by the shoulder and
pulled me down, and was fat on the earth
before realized what had happened was
on my back, and he stood with both paws on |
my middle facing the natives and growing /.
savagely. The men ran OF about 300 feet |
and then halted, which was doubtless the /
reason why was not carried of at once. |
can say without conceit that ] was fairly /
cool. It had come 50 suddenly that had not .
had time to get ratified. had been told by /
an old Boer hunter, If ever found myself in /
this fix, 10 appeal 20 the lions fears. Had ] .
moved my arm 10 get my pistol, the beast .
would have lowered his head and seized my
throat. So long as l lay quiet be would .
reason that l was dead, and give his atten-
ton 10 the natives.
All Of a sudden barked out like a dog,
followed By growl, and that beast jumped .
twenty fee, in his surprise Ho came down
me and the natives, and / turned
enough % SEQ that his tail was down and
that he was scared uttered further barks
and growls, but without moving hand, and,
after making circle clear around me, the
lion suddenly bolted and went of with
scare which would last him O week II you
had picked up a stick and discovered it to be
a snake you would do just as the lion did
be supposed he had pulled down a man
The man turned into dog. 10 appealed TO
bis fears.
After the lion had gone l grew so weak
that l had to be carried to camp He had
inflicted a pretty bad bite on my shoulder,
and it was a fortnight before | could hold my
gun for an offhand shot. ! had the presence
II fourth captive during this time 20 con-
iole me, however No animal went near the
calf on the first or the second night, but on
The third we captured a fine half grown
male, and got him Gagged without trouble
Curiously enough, be had offered the calf no
violence, being overcome by the situation,
md when We found him the two seemed on
Inc best OF ternG Cor. New York Sun.
A RAILROAD INCIDENT.
The Story Of the Man with the Perma-
nent Position.