Woodville Republican., 1889-05-11
ATTACKED BY A LION.
Thrilling Story Of a Strange De-
fensive Alliance.


most be ranked with some OF Aesop's
fables, under the name of "The Man.
the Lion and the B4boons" 1t is re-
lated by creditabls 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 inundated by balloons,
is mentioned in standard works OF
natural history Our correspondent
writes:
Eve we're outspanned by the spring
of Moot-iontein beautiful Water) in
Bechuanaland, our business being that
Of traders In WOO, feathers and ivory.
We had como 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 YER
dure and water. Our camp and equip
ment consisted OF two. large hooded
buck-wagons, with about thirty draught-
oxen, thirteen Kafirs and our two
selvesAthat is, Nieland, tho Dutch
trader, and myself
ut wanted rather more than an hour
to sundown, when Neiland turned to
me and said; 4 am going to walk as
far as that kopje (hillocS) and see il
the cattle are on the other side; the
boys ought to be bringing them in BY
now; and away he went It was our
practice, as it is tho general custom OF
traders and travellers, to have the cat
tle home and tied up to the dissel-boom
OF the wagons for tho night; then, by
lighting a couple of fires and leaving
the dogs loose, we generally considered
ou selves secure from nocturnal intru-
ders, though we heard them plainly
enough, and often saw their starlil5e
eyes peering at US from the gloom.
The 'kopje, as they call small hills
in Africa, was probably further away
than Nieland had imagined, forshe was
some little time in reaching it. Some
OF the Kafiirs were squatting by me,
where stood by the fire cooking our
supper, and watching Nieland, as he
walked slowly across tho heated, SHIN
mering plain.
Arrived at the kopie he ascended it
a little, looked on either side OF him,
and then made his way round to the
other side OF the hill He had accom-
plished more than half the distance,
and was out OF sight of the camp, when
he took another 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 extended view he was Mortified to
find that he was being watched by an
Immense lion "a great tawny brute,
with black name and flashing eyes.
The animal was little below him,
standing on the level ground.
"Nieland stood perfectly still, startled
into absolute immobility, fascinated by
the danger OF his position. In those
few seconds, which seemed to him
hours, he was bitterly blaming himself
for having left his gun behind, and
naturally his hand had gone to his belt,
hoping 10 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 il waiting for movement on the
mans part, and the man did tho mos
natural thing under the circumstances
With his face to the foe, he slowly ant
cautiously began to retreat up the hill
side. What he hoped for he was scarce
ly conscious Of, except, perhaps, tina
he might climb some point inaccessible
to the four-footed beast, but it was al
most hopeless work, owing to the ma
ture OF the ground and his constrained
position.
HE had nOtmade any great progress
when he heard q confused grunting ant
jabbering away behind him. Half turn
ing his head he glanced quickly rount
and saw q troop Of balloons. Along
with the mans movements the lion ad
Vanced. Here the man was between
two fires, the lion in front and the ba
boons behind-formidable creatures
these, as he knew them to be, posses
sing enormous strength and having tn,
characters of morose and ungovernabl'
temper.
Tho iabboring increased, inter
spersed with shril cries of rage; anC
presently Nieland was aware that th'
balloons werc leaving the height
above and descending to whore he was
Up to this moment he had stopped hi
slow ascent but now no remained sta
tionary in a crouching attitude, ant
drew the knife from his belt
1.-The balloons came, leaping AM
running on all-fours. down the sides o
the stony kopice and soon they wcr
round Nieland in kind OF irregula
circle. There they staid. in knots o
three and four, and raised the most uu
earthly din barking. screaming, shout
ing and beating their breasts such
tumult as the man had never heard be
fore. iAss''s
'The lion had stopped; he had don
more. he had even retrcated littl
way; and then, putting his nose clos
to the ground. he uttered sharp
short, angry roar Thank Heaven
Iii Al !.