The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1889-07-27

forest over two hundred miles from this
spot. We were on the march, twenty Eve
or thirty Of Us, and had for half an hour
been traversing a path used by animals in
going to drinking place | had been in
the lead for two hours, when | dropped
back to consult with one Of the bosses y
One Of the natives took my place aud pass
ed on, but he had not gone fifty feet when
serpent Of the same species, which was
hidden in the foliage Of tree, struck aud
Knocked him down aud had two coils
about his body before shout was raised.
| hurried forward with my heavy shot gun,
but the snake was threshing the poor
native about 20 that | dared not ERE for
several minutes Then, as the horrible
head was reared to hiss at me | shattered
Il with buekshot | was too late to save
the man, however. He had been crushed
to a pulp-a fate that would surely have
been mine had | continued two minutes
longer in the lead
On tue Benue river, to the east Of Gamer
on mountain, We bad two or three traps
set for lions One Of these was log trap,
the same as Is used for bears 10 the United
States Il was, in fact, a small but stout
log house, with door connected with a
figure 4 inside We baited this trap
with fresh meat, but the lions would not
enter it, After it had been unvisited for
two days | took Iny gun aud started in
that direction. This was at about ten
O'Clock in the morning. | approached the
trap from the side where the door was
fitted and peered in, to end the bait un-
touched As | Strengthened up one Of the
biggest lions ever saw tgFned the corner
of the pen, and we were face 20 face. |
think he had been lying in the shade on
the other side | had my gun in my left
hand, and realized that any movement on
nv part woald be a signal for him to at
tack. The lion was as much astonished as
| was. Indeed, his first idea was to drop
his tail and bolt At first | could have
put my right hand out aud laid it ON his
nose, but presently he shifted at me and
backed off to a distance of about ten feet
and then stood aud stared at me- stared
back 1t was the only thing | could do.
He was neither hungry nor petulent, and
he finally laid down and rested his head
ON his paws aud kept his great yellow
eyes steadily fastened to mine. | stood
like a stone for about ten minutes. Thea
| sank to my knees, feeling that if | did
not should lose NY equilibrium. As |
went down he rose up with menaeing
growl and seemed about to spring, but as
remained quiet he sank down again and
resumed his stare.
| was dangerously fascinated by thu
stare of this beast and by and by felt ;
STANCE exultation and wanted to shout ane
wave my hands. | really believe shoul,
have advanced upon him had We been lef
uninterrupted two minutes longer. On
of the natives followed after me, and a
the sound of his footsteps in the brusl
reached the lions ears he whined an
seemed uneasy, and finally made "A bolt 70
the thicket. was still on my knees whe
the native came, aud was so weak all da
that | remained in camp.
Near Kharme in Burmah, some nativ,
once came about twenty miles to beg
me to return with them and rid their vi
: lage of the presence OF maneating tige
4 went with them in |. .Jeg TO catch Il