Omaha daily bee., 1889-04-01
WERE THEY MISSING LINKS?
These Balloons Certainly Acted
Very Much Like Gentlemen.
A puTcHMAN's ODD ADVENTURE.
How Mr.. Nieland Was Strangely Res
cucd Just as Big South African
Was About to De-
vour Him.
A Remarkable Defensive


The following true story, says writer
in the.London Illustrated News, might
almost be ranked with some OF Esop's
fables, under the name Of 1.-THE Man,
the Lion, and the Baboons." 1t is re-
lated by creditable witness, Mr..
Charles Holland Lille, who was travel
ing in South Africa. The fact that
lions have been observed, on other oc-
casions, to be intimidated by balloons,
is mentioned in standard works OF nat
ural history. Our correspondent writes:
I'VE were outspanned by the spring
of Mooi-fontein beautiful Water) in
Bechuanaland, our business being that
OF traders Of wool, feathers and ivory.
We had come thirty miles through the
veldt--a long pull for oxen--and we,
therefore, determined to rest the entire
day at this grateful little patch of ver-
dure and water. Our camp and equip
ment consisted Of two large hooded
buck-wagons, with about thirty draught
oxen, thirteen Kaffirs apd our two
selves-that is, Nieland, the Dutch
trader. and myself.
II wanted more than an hour to sun
down, when Nieland turnedto me and
said, i am going to walk as far as that
kopie (hillock) and see if the cattle are
on the other side; the boys ought to be
bringing them in by now;' and away he
went. 1t was our practice, as it is the
general custom of traders and travellers,
to have the cattle home and tied up to
the dissel-boom OF the wagons for the
night; then, by lighting couple of
fires and leaving the dogs loose, we
generally considered ourselves secure
from the nocturnal intruders, though
we heard them plainly enough and
often saw their starlike eyes peering at
us from the gloom.
''The 'kopje,' as they call small hills
in Africa, was probably further away
than Nieland had imagined. for he was
Of the Kaffirs were squatting by me,
where / stood by the fire cooking our
supper, and watching Nieland as he
walked slowly across the heated, SHIN
mering plain.
Arrived al the kopje he assembled it
a little, looked on either side of him and
then made his way round to the other
side of the hill. He had accomplished
more than half the distance and was out
of sight OF the camp, when he took an
other survey. AS the kopje was broken,
uneven and rocky, bad for walking, his
eyes had been bent on the ground.
When he raised them for a more ex-
tended view he was Mortified to find
that he was being watched by an I'M
mense Iona great tawny brute with a
black main and flashing eyes. The ami
NAL was little below MIN, standing on
the level ground.
''Nieland stood perfectly still, startled
into perfect immobility, fascinated by
the danger of his position. In those
few seconds which seemed to him like
hours, he was bitterly blaming himself
for having left his gun behind, and
hoping to find, at least, his revolver,
but to his dismay he was armed with
nothing better than hunting knife.
"The lion did not advance, but stood
as if waiting for movement on the
mans part, and the man did the most
natural thing under the circumstances
With his face to the foe, he slowly and
cautiously began to retreat up the hill
side. What he hoped for he was scarce
ly conscious Of, except, perhaps, that
he might climb some point inaccessible
to the four-footed beast, but it was al
most hopeless work owing to the nature
of the ground and his constrained DO
sition.
HE had not made any great progress
when he heard confused grunting
and jabbering away behind him. Half
turning his head he glanced quickly
round and saw troop of balloons.
Along with the mans movements the
lion advanced. Here the man was be-
tween two fires, the lion in front and
the balloons behind-formidable crea-
lures these, as he knew them to be, pos
sesSing enormous strength and having
ha nh nf nd m
able temper.
"The jabbering increased, inter
spersed with shrill cries of rage; and
presently Nieland was aware that the
balloons were leaving the heights above
| and descending to where he was. Up
| to this moment he had stopped his slow
ascent. but now he remained stationary
in crouching position, and drew the
knife from his belt.
"The balloons came, leaping and run
ming on all fours, down the sides of the
stony kopje, and soon they were round
Nieland in a kind of irregular circle.
| There they staid in knots of three and
| four, and raised the most unearthly din
barking, screaming, shouting and
| beating their breastS--such tumult as
| the man had never heard before.
1.-THE lion had stopped; he had done
more; he had retreated a little way,
| ana then, putting his nose close to the
ground, he uttered, sharp, short,
angry roar. Thank heaven thought
| Nieland, they will hear that at camp,
| and will remember that am awayp
| 1.-THE baboOns - great, powerful,
hairy fellows-now redoubled their hid
eous noises, jumping about their al
lotted stations in the greatest excite
ment. 1t really appeared as if, with
bristling eyebrows and angry, distended
mouths, they were making the most
scornful illusions to the king of beasts
before them.
| 'SThe lion stood there, angry, baffled
| and perpleXed, lashing the ground with
his tail; then he began to run, in quick
strides, backward and forward. Every
time he put his head down the noise OF
the babooons increased. When he
stood still, and throwing his head back,
gazed at them, their exclamations died
away; but they became, if possible,
more alert and watchful than ever.
1.-The baboons- seemed to gather
closer together, still keeping Nieland
in the middle of the circle they had
formed around him. The lion retreated
again, and roared; and some of the
foremost baboons descended, with re-
doubled noises, to the lower ground,
while others filled their places.
The lion backed still further away,
till he had reached respectable dis
tance; here he staid, aud, looking
| round nut his pnaa tn the of.ni,n6 and