The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1888-02-11

and switching his tail in defiance, and
l heard fierce growing and snarline
from some beast which turned ont 10
be panther, for heard his claws rak-
ing the bark as he climbed a tree few
wards away. l knew what he was
after, and I got my revolver ready and
followed him by sound. He assembled
to height Of about thirty-eight feet,
came toward me on limb. and l could
see his eyes shining like diamonds.
The panther would have to spring
about twenty feet to reach me. The
lion knew what he was after, and he
dashed to and fro under the tree and
kept up such a roaring that all other
beasts quit for the time in disgust. Twas
facing the panther as l sat on my
perch 1t seemed to me that was
doomed to be eaten by one or the
other. and the only possible show had
was shot at the panther. l could see
nothing but his eyes, but | held my
revolver as steady as possible and
pulled the trigger. l think the beast
was just ready to spring. l can not
ssy that hit him, but the flash and re-
port would have confused him. | had
hardly fired when he came for me, but
fell short, and down he went to be
seized by the enraged lion. That fight
would have been worth going good
long way to see. 1t lasted fully fifteen
minutes, and the fierce snarls and ter
rible roars kept me in tremble. By
and by both beasts seemed to haye hs4
enough, and the conflict ceased. I
heard the lion walking about and
whining and moaning, but after few
minutes these sounds ceased, and | was
not further disturbed during the night.
When daylight came | saw the panther
dead at the foot of the tree. and Just at
the edge of the pool was the dead body
of the lion. He had gone there to
drink, and had tumbled over Just as he
turned from the water.
examined both bodies carefully be-
fore left. Such work with teeth and
claws few men ever saw. The lion had
seized each foreleg of the panther and
crushed the bones of the ankle in his
teeth He had torn his neck in hor-
rible manner, and had bitten the flesh
of one of his cheeks until a pull would
have exposed the jaw-bone on that
side. The panther had bitten tie lion
about the throat and breast, but had
depended more on his claws. With
these he had literally disemboweled
the king.
Fifty miles to the south of where this
adventure happened one of our men
was one morning pushing his way
through the high grass along the left
bank of dry creek when lioness, lion
and two half-grown cubs sprang up be-
fore him. There was no time to retreat,
and he was too dumbfounded to cry
out. The lions stood and stared for a
few seconds, evidently more frightened
than the man, and then went off with a
rush. That day, as we sat in the shade
of a great tree eating our lunch, we
were suddenly saluted with roar of
defiance. Our tree stood in the open,
nearly a quarter of mile from the
forest. and there were twenty-five of us
around the fire. 1t was high noonySwith
bright sun. and yet lion came out
of the woods and directly toward us,
roaring as he came and evidently full
of fight. The native called out that ii
was one of those he had seen in the
grass, and for time none of us moved
However, it soon became evident that
the old fellow meant mischief, and we
seized guns and spears. He held
straight for the crowd, roaring and
growing, and the instant the first shot
was fired he increased his gait to q
rush. He was among us in a few sec.
onds, and for couple of minutes there
was wild excitement. Two or three men
were knocked down, two bitten, one
struck by bullet intended for the lion,
and the beast was finally killed by the
thrust of spear-M Y. Sun.