San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1890-07-03
CAPTURING A LION CUB.

We were in the interior of Ovanpo Land,
wild district situated in Southwest Africa.
The little naked Bushman, who was running
in front of our tired horses, stopped and held
up his hand My eyes, wearied with peering
at distant game, and dazzled by the afternoon
sunshine, could at first detect nothing which
should warrant the Bushman's attitude of
mingled eagerness and fear. At last, how
ever, distinguished, with a sudden start of
recognition, a group Of lion, lioress and two
or three cubs, lying on the warm, red earth,
just outside low, thorny thicket.
The wind, blowing freshly across the plain
into our faces, had prevented the lions from
getting our scent, and doubtless also had
kept from their quick hearing the slight noise
caused by the advancing troop of hunters,
while our forms had been concealed from
their sight by the thick brushwood bordering
the path. But as soon as my frightened, rest
i've horse had expressed his alarm by loud
snort the lion jumped angrily to his feet and
stood facing me, not more than twenty yards
away, flashing his tail from side to side and
watching me steadily out of his big yellow
eyes, while the lionesS, picking up one of the
cubs in her mouth, trotted away into the
thicket, preceded by her other little ones,
who quickly hid themselves in the brush
wood
Meanwhile, my first start of surprise over,
| had seized my gun from the holsters, and,
as well as the iidSety backing of my horse
permitted, took aim at the lions forehead,
between his eyes, and fired. As soon as the
smoke had cleared away l saw the lion shak-
ing his head and staggering; then he fell for
ward on his front paws and rolled over dead.
That evening over the big blazing camp
fires, when Calverley and l had finished our
dinner of rietbock steaks and bread and
honey, we sat chatting cozily and slipping
our mugs of hot, strong coffee. The slain
lion had already been skinned, and his hide
was pegged out in the camp inclosure. Some
Ovampo men were scraping off the fat and
rubbing the inner surface of the skin with
wood ashes to absorb the grease.
One of them, noticed, walked away with
especial zeal. He was a fine looking creature,
fully six feet in height, with well knit frame
and a pleasant face. His name was Muropo.
Every one in camp liked him, and every one
knew his little history. Muropo, strange to
say for an African, was actually in Lowell
And the object of his affections was Kangom-
be, the daughter of the old Chief Chintengo,
ten miles from our camp. Unfortunately, in
Africa as general rule, it is not much easier
for a penniless young man to get married
than it is in more civilized countries. Now,
unless Muropo could procure ten cows and
present them to Chintengo, that chief would
not hear of his marrying Kangombe. Now,
ten cows in this favored land of Ovampo
would cost about $50 worth of trade goods,
and this amount Muropo had set himself reso-
lutely to acquire, and this was one of the rea-
sons why he had attached himself to our hunt
ing expedition, hoping to come in for some
unconsidered trites when our stay in Ovampo
Land should come to a close.
When my coffee was finished l got up from
the zebra skin on which had been reclining
and went to look at the way my lions hide
was being prepared
"Well, Muropo," said, in my imperfect
Ovampo speech, why didn't you catch one
of those little lions when had shot the ia
ther2 Ehl You know how much want to
have live lion cub to send to my country"
"Oh, masterI" he replied, laughing, you
didn't think Muropo was such strong man
that, without a gun, he would be able to
snatch lion cub from its mothers mouth,
did yous Why, had not even a spear"
Eyes, but the lover of Kancombe should be
strong enough for anything single handed.
You'll never win your wife that way. Sup
posing you had caught one of those lion cubs
and brought him to camp, l might have
given you enough to buy five COWS, and there
would be half your marriage money"
''Whatf exclaimed Muropo, starting up
with an eager look in his eyes. You are |
speaking truth, masterl You would give me |
five cows for one of those small lionsp
Il would, really"
81 won't forget that; 1 won't forget that"
he repeated slowly to himself, sitting down |
again on his launches and taking up some |
more wood ashes to rub on the skin.
The next day l missed Muropo's stately |
form among the group of campfollowers who |
were dressing the pegged out skin. He bad
not been seen or heard of all day, but his |
absence excited little attention, because it |
was supposed that he had gone over to Chin
tengo's town to see his sweetheart.
However, just as we were going to bed |
there was a commotion in the camp, and a |
black, wild looking figure, carrying some
thing large and furry in his arms, rushed
through the crowd of heaters, guides and
crackers, and threw himself down on the
ground close to my tent. 1t was Muropo,
nd be had broupht a little lion cub with i