Wichita eagle., 1889-06-08

sounded like the footsteps of heavy man
walking deliberately.
Old Hecklinger raised his finger as signal
for silence, cooking his rife at the same mo-
ment, and whispering:
'It's the lion.n
We were greatly excited, and Agra, no
ticed, dropped yard OF two behind US. The
rest OF the natives were still in the bushes to
the rear. They were evidently prudent lot.
''The beast is going away" said the Ger
man, presently, dropping the hammer Of his
rife "No-he has stopped, think"
Listening moment, he added:
"Waitf'
With that, the old fellow passed On tiptoe
around the spring, and entering upon the
| path disappeared from view in the bushes,
whilst we awaited results with the greatest
! anxiety.
Quarter of an hour passed, but the German
did not return and we began to feel appre-
hensive for his safety, and to wonder at his
prolonged absence.
A rustling in the bushes close at hand star
tied Us a bit, and we eyed the spot with great
eaEerness, the skipper finally remarking:
Il wish the German would returni Con-
found It'll this is moro than we bargained for,
my boyl Suppose that beast should take it
into his head to pop out of those bushes at
this very"-
A shout caused the skipper to leave his
sentence unfinished. 1t came from up the
beaten pathway, and the voice was that of
the old hunter; but it was a mufied sort of
cry, Indicative OF surprise, and possibly of
pain
In second Agra had leaped past us and
ran up the path, and we followed at full
speed, not knowing what we should en-
counter, but confident that old Heckinger
needed our help.
We overlook Agra fifty yards up the track.
Ee had halted. and was listening intently.
Again we heard the cry for help, very
faint, and seemingly far away to the left Of
the pathway.
Agra plunged into the bushes, with rs at
bis heels, and n moment we halted abruptly
on the brink of huge pit in the ground, at
the bottom Of which we discovered the hum
ter, making frantic but Intellectual efforts to
climb out.
We gave him hefp and quickly pulled him
I'D, when he proclaimed vigorously at his bad
luck
81 saw the Hon--a big fellow" he said;
''but he ran away like a cur, dragging his
tail, as if he was scared to death. And whilst
/ was Fastening on, in hopes Of getting shot
at the brute, tunbled unawares into that
COMPOUNDED pitt"
81 never knew lion would run from a
man. l said.
(which shows you are green in the bust
ness" laughed Hecklinger. There's no say
ing what a lion or tiger viii do, and there's
the danger in hunting them. One day he'll
burst into your camp and carry off an OK be-
fore your very eyes, and the next time you
see him he'll not have the spunk of a whipped
cur. This creature today is ON the scare and
he'd run from his own shadow; but what
he'd do Tonight or tomorrow no one can tell,
only don't think wen see any tomorrow"
and old Hecklinger chucl1led or1linously.
'He tumhled me into that pitt continued
the hunter, 'tand turn about being fair play,
I'll get him in there before daylight-yah,
yah! 1t was dug for lions long ago, sus-
pect, and we'll make good use of it to-right."
We were greatly pleased to hear the old
hunter talk IN this way, for we were now
crazy TO capture lion, and there seemed to
be chance of doing it easily with but little
danger to ourselves.
So word was sent back 20 the natives, and
on their arrival we set to work to prepare
the pit for the enemy, covering it with slen-
der poles, concealed under green branches.
We then removed all traces of our work,
and returned to camp for dinner.
Toward s1lndown we returned to the pit,
taking with US one of the least valuable
dogs, which we tied 90 one Of the covering
poles, as a bait to tempt the lion during the
night
The poor dog seemed to realize the situa-
ton, for he began TO howl most piteously as
we started back toward the spring, leaving
him to his fate
We had not traversed half the distance,
when all at once q tremendous roar burst
upon our ears, and a great, dark body came
crashing through tbs bushes, landing in our
midst.
The natives fled In every direction with
shriels Of terror, yelling:
1.-THE Honl the Hon!''
The brute was SO near me that I felt his
hot breath in my face, and the next instant
he gave me blow with his huge paw that
knocked me to the ground
Next the animal seized mo by the shoulder
with his big jaws and, twisting me over his
broad back with remarkable dexterity,
dashed into the Jungle at terrific gait, the
branches nearly tearing my clothes to pieces
as we went.
It was all done in few seconds, and had
only time TO realize that my fate was sealed
and that horrible doom awaited me, when
there was great crash, and l thought that
we were falling over a precipice.
Then I struLk the ground heavily, and felt
that the lion had loosened his hold, uttering,
as he did so, roar that made every hair
stand on end
The next thing heard was the piteous
whine of dog, and / realized what had hap
pened- Tho lion, leaping along in his mad
fury, had strrck the light covering Of the pit,
and lion, man and dog had all gone down into
the trap with crash.
II was fearful situation truly, and / can
only account for the beasts not instantly
tearing me to pieces by supposirS that be was
utterly da1ed by his fail, and could not under
stand what had happened. AT all events he
seemed to forget ule, and began to roar end
to tear the sides Of the pit with his huge
claws In frantic effors Is to get out
Meanwhile / crepS under some Of the
branches that bad fallen in with US, and
prayed earnestly thatmy life might bespared
Presently there was loud roar from the
thickes above, apparently IN response TO the
cries Of tho hon, and honess no doubt bis
mate, giared down at Us from the edge Of the
pit.
The Two brutes kept up continuous roar
ing and growing for long time, the one in
the pit striving al the while in vain to get
out. and the other encouraging him.
While this was going on a small body tl1ra-
bled dow, INTO the Dit, striking the, bottom