Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1889-09-07
A GREENHORN'S SHOT.

and the tiger in his native haunts: The tiger
viii always fight; the lion will often run
away. When hunter has wounded . tiger,
be can te dend sure that the beast is going TO
make for him 70 secure revenge. When he
has woundei hon, he can't be sure that the
beast won't sneak of like . whipped dog. 1
was in Cape Colony, Africa, and out on the
edges Of the Beer district, twenty years ago,
when the lion hal become alarmed at the evil
dencss Of civilization, but was yet nesitating
10 Withdraw further north. Along the edges
OF the Kalahari desert, 10 the west Of Cron-
stadt Potcbefstrom and Rustenburg, the
African lion once grew TO bis greatest size
AMI fiourl.i,ei nt his lest. He lived on the
fat Of the land, the natives let him severely
alone, and there was no one - dispute that
be was monarch Of all be surveyed.
A party of eight OF US had gone out from
Rnsteiiburg 10 the west, being well provided
with horses, wagons, tents, provisions and
sfvants, and after journey Of three days
We camped on the edge Of a stream in beau
tiful grove. That night heard wild lion
roar for the drzt time. and it WAS by no
means sweet music TO my ears. A male lion
and his mate discovered our camp about mid
night and for half an hour they seemed do
tsrnined TO get bold Of some Of our hive stock.
But for our camp fires and the volleys we
tired in the direction Of the unwelcome in
truders, we should certainly have lost one Of
the oxen, for the lions advanced within fifty
feet OF the animals before they could be
frightened OF 1t filled US with enthusiasm
70 lind that We had got into the lion country,
ani We were up and doing at an early hour
aext zserniBg. A mile to the south OF Us was
virgin forest-dark, tangled and dangerous.
Between that and the desert was a strip OF
bal land about half mile wide. There were
. few punches OF plants and bushes, many
rocks, and the ground was sprinkled with
bunch grass With the telescope we could
See animals of the antelope species feeding on
this strip; but while | was using the glass
they suddenly became alarmed and ran away,
going out of sight To the south.
In the forest the place to look for lions
by day, or, at least, it was natural to believe
that they would retire to its cover during the
hours when wild beasts sleep. To the north
OF US the bad lands continued Oh out Of
sight, but the forest was more open, being, in
fact. a succession of groves. We had two or
three natives with US OF much experience in
lion hunting, and they gave US no encourage
ment to 20 out until toward shutdown. One
OF the men had followed the stream back into
the forest for half mile, and there found a
ANIMALS came to drink Nothing worthy OF
q shot would come there by daylight. Al
most every wild beast or animal slakes its
thirst at night, and only at night. 1t does
not Seem to be "a matter of choice with them,
but law OF nature. The spoor or trail of
the two lions which had paid us a midnight
visit lei to the south between the forest and
desert, and as a heavy dew was falling when
they went away the trail could be followed at
a gailop. Two OF our hunters rode to the
north to try and get n shot at some haitbeests
Seen with the glass, another went up to look
around the pool and the remainder decided
not to move at all before afternoon. de-
cided for ride to the south, and left camp
with a heavy breechloadiug carbine across
my saddle. 1t wasn't to he depended on for
a long shot, but it would hit to kill, and it
carried ball large enough to kill an ele-
plant
soon found the bad lands so bal that l
had to let my horse pick his way at walk.
kept pretty close to the edge of the forest,
knowing | stood better chance of sighting
something. and was full mile from camp
when my horse suddenly halted, shifted the
air in suspicious manner, and stopped in his
tracks. From his trembling | knew that he
was badly frightened, and | rose in my STIR
ruIs to look about for the cause. For time
could see no living object, but after while
my eyes lighted on a tawny mass on the
sands at the roots OF a large bush. had
field glass with me, and l no sooner brought
1t t. bear than l made out two lions. They
were about forty rods away, and while the
male lay on his back with his feet in the air,
as you have sometimes seen a dog do, the
female was stretched out on her side. Both
asleep
had had no experience in lion hunting,
and did not know how TO act. My horse
showed strong disposition to bolt, and dis
mounted and made him fast to the limb of a
fallen tree which was half buried in the
sands. expected he would break away and
make for camp in case of scrimmage, but
he was Of little use to me on such bad ground
When | had finished with the horse | saw
Tat my carbine was in order, pulled my re-
volver around within handy reach, and
walked forward to get shot at the still
sleeping lions. There was nothing brave in
this. was simply greenhorn. and didn't
know better than to take the chances | knew
was ii good shot. ami knew | had nerve,
ami | felt that could best the pair no matter
,,o,.,,;,,1, an., ~. shaJ. ~ ,ha t,sh.' 800
aful thar th., lions hal faIla, into "A J,o,,
-, Al ,.h,, she,l'I e.. ha,, a.. 80.
-, l., .u ,h,t rs-;n,, a., To-, 80 -.
III ,,or con, .v.ry n,ha,. ~, e., .,,,,a ,',
his ,,ro,,I ,,as . ,n.,,a,,. II, ha b.,.,.a a,,d -.
.partsd Jw.lleI M, IN vi,bin ,,i,ty Zoo. ~
H., mir and san tl.v diI NOT h..r NM. NO.
c,,,r,,, ,,,si,,.n Loud no, go, s,,,.i, s,,ea.
a. h,,,t, ,,ssir,s ,,t ,,os i,.,,t ~, ha,';n,s
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o,,,.l,, 49,, sl' ,h., H., ,t,,, IA, -
~. AL ,iro, ,.,., 49,, .l,'. -, - ~.
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.h.. H. ,.,iI.., .o,,IJ ,,;,,, h;,,, III H..
NJ ,lat t,I,a,,i ,I,., sl,,t ,;Il,.l ,',, ,,;,,
..,,.,;.i,,,,a,t .,,I -, -. ,ta,,
g., .h-' I,,,' h.. Goo, l ,.;,l,,s,,
-. - III. ,,,,>,, ,,.,,.,a', ;.,, ,t, -.
=, ,,,. r,,,, Tl,ara ,va. s,,a,I From, Tho
r. -. la,,d..l int, ,h, air aud than
,-,.,,', ..,,,,,, e., 49,. .,,,, mo ~, 10 h.va
.ss-.-,.;,s., ,,hat had b,,,s,.,l tho lion, ran
-, H.. - ,r,n,d ,;Ia h;s nat.
~, s,,,. ,h.. ,,.,,is i'm, he was hard hit I
Ill ,,1, d.. hi. o,i, That sbe ,y,s as rat.
IL, .i IL, .,..s,, 81, ca. h, The xay
.,,a dr..'.,,.,l ha,.,.I .s shs ran L.l ay.
- ,,h. .n,, ,..s d;s.n,o;n,.I rba
~, h.,n,,f'., o,.r DIV. hrolen Ground To-
about eighty rods, and then went to cover IN
a bush. and after the female rushed into the
wool gave her no further attention While
realized that wounded lion a danger
Gus foe, the cowar,ily conduct of this fellow
IL 4 l..