Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1889-01-30
In A MONSTERS JAWS.
Stirring Adventures with Lions In
the Hottentot Country.
The Wonderful Strength Of the King of
Beasts-seDsatiOns of n Man Who Was
Carried Half Mile Between the
Teeth of Huge Brute


Teeth of Huge Brute
While trapping lions in the Hottentot
country for the Hamburg animal house I
had opportunities for seeing the king of
beasts at his best and for making close OBJ
servations Of his traits of character, writes
q correspondent of the New York Sun. We
were once camped in grove on the bank of
creek, our party numbering over thirty
people. The bank on the other side was
rocky ground, pretty thickly covered with
scrub, and right on the brink stood one of
the largest lions ever saw. He was out in
run view, head and tail up, and stood so
still for moment that doubted if he was
alive.
We had a new mich cow tied to the wheel
Of one of the wagons, and the lion advanced
TO within thirty feet of her and then made
a spring which landed him fairly upon her
back. She fell in heap, and he seized her
by the neck, gave her two or three shakes
which broke the grass rope around her
head, and he then got his right shoulder
under her and started of. The cow weighed
at least five hundred pounds but he carried
her with perfeft ease, her hind feet drag
ging on the ground. At the creek he made
"a jump Of eleven feet, ascended a sloping
bank without halt. and soon disappeared
in the broken ground with has prey. He
was gone before we had gun ready
About four months later on the Orange
river, l had close call for my life, with no
one at hand TO aid me by dIstracting the at
tention Of the lion. had only one white
man with me, and he was i'll of fever. We
had dug pit on path frequented by hons
coming down to drink, but were much an
noyed by other animals falling into it,
On the first night, after the natives had
driven several useless animals away a
large lion and lioness came down the path.
When first discovered the lion was ahead
but he got the scent of my men who were
stationed in tree and stopped short to
growl and sniff, while the lioness, who was
perhaps very thirsty, advanced slowly and
went down into the pit.
The pit was two miles from our camp, and
we heard nothing of the row which took
place when the lion discovered the trick
played on his mate. He tore around for q
spell like mad and then lay down at the
foot OF the tree and besieged the men. AS
soon as 1t was daylight left camp on horse
back to ride over and see what luck. rode
straight for the place, and when within forty
rods called to the men. They answered at
once, and though could not make out what
they said knew they were excited over
something. | was riding around a clump
OF trees on to an open space, when my horse
suddenly started. Next instant l was on
the ground and lion standing over me, and
lcould hear the horse tearing away through
the scrub like mad. The lion had pulled me
down, tearing the back out of my coat, vest
and shirt, but not drawing blood with his
claws.
As in the previous case, 1 was not fright
ened, because it had occurred so suddenly
that had not time TO lose my nerve l
was on my left side, bareheaded, and the
lion stood for a moment with his paw on my
right shoulder looking after the horse. The
natives saw the fleeing horse, knew very
well what had happened to me, and at once
descended the tree and made for camp. /
did not blame them any, and perhaps that
very action saved my life / had time to
collect my thoughts in that single minute,
aud, as had routed one lion by barking
like dog, decided to follow the same plan
in this case. But, as l said at the begin
ming lions are as unlike as men. At my
first bark this fellow growled savagely and
gave me a terrible bite in the hip. Had /
cried out at that or made any struggle he
would have finished me at once i repressed
my feelings and played dead l had q re-
volver strapped to my back, but it would
not do TO reach for it. After biting me the
lion watched and waited for signs of life,
and when he could detect none he seized
my right shoulder in his teeth, gave me
shake and a twist, and next moment was
being carried Il on his back. His teeth did
not touch my flesh, and as l lay almost
across HIM on my side my hand struck the
butt Of the revolver. / had it out OF the
holster in a second, and then felt had a
show Whether the beast felt any move
mcnt or not he growlcd at intervals, and
his breath came back on me so strong that
i was nauseated. l intended to fire into
him as he carried me along, but he was
swaymg about so that dared not risk it,
After carrying me half mile through tho
scrub and over broken ground the lion
halted at the head of the ravine, in which
he doubtlc IS had his lair. He turned about
as If 10 see if pursuit had been made and
the muZzle of the pistol came against his
left hip. / fired ut once and the next in
slant was flung in heap on the earth, while
the lion uttered n scream of pain. l was on
knees in flash, but the beast was ten
taway, going round in circles and biting
the wound. He did not notice me in the
ast and l sent another bullet in him Just
back of the shoulder. He uttered another
scream, and instead of rushing At me, as /
fully expected, made a leap into the ravine
and could hear him running for some dis
lance i was badly shaken up, but lost no
time in getting out OF the neighborhood and
in the course OF an hour reached camp.
Nearly every body was out looking for me.
SEQ now how inconsistency that lion acted.
He came out into the open ground and
charged the party Of over twenty men, al
though they had not disturbed him He had
run from me in his surprise and now felt
ashamed of himself. He knocked over a
native as he charged, but was riddled with
bullets and gave up the ghost.