Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1890-04-18

saw the noness walking slowly towards
me. My knees trembled, and | felt a
dead man already, but I did not let go
of the cub. Facing the ioness, who had
stopped and was sitting on her launches,
lashing her tail gently from side to side, I
walked backward till was quite clear Of the
bush and out on the open plain. Then the
cub gave yelp, and the lioness suddenly got
up and commenced trotting toward me. Mas
ter, got frightened. Thought would run.
An Ovampo man can run faster than lion
but had got this cub and a spear to carry.
However, picked up big stone and threw
it to the lioness. She stopped, turned around,
and smelt it. Then put the cub on my shout
ders and set off running toward the camp at
the top of my speed Soon heard aroar be-
hind me- and there was the lioness bounding
along after he.
81 turned and hurled my spear at her. /
missed; but she stopped for minute to smell
it. Then ran on harder than ever. Still she
came after me faster and faster. I jumped
over sticks and pushed through thorns and
never stopped. But the lioness never lost
sight of me- At last was thinking would
throw away the lion cub to save my life,
when suddenly fell through the grass into a
deep pit. 1t was one of those deep pitfalls
that we dig for catching elephants and rhi-
noceroses. There was big, sharp iron stake
at the bottom, standing upright Fortu-
nately l fell down the side and missed the
stake, which is put there for the elephant to
fall on and be pierced by. As caught at the
stems of the grass I broke the force of the
fall and came to the bottom very little hurt.
II put down the lion cub and began to COR
slider what to do if the lioness jumped on me,
for she was already standing close to the
edge of the pit, looking down on me and
growing. had thrown away my spear, so
had nothing to fight with. Thea ! noticed
that iron stake, and it seemed just the thing
I wanted, SO ! set to work and dug at the
ground with my hands till had loosened the
earth and was able to pull the stake up. As
soon as had got it free and out of the
ground crouched down and held it in both
hands, pointing the sharp end toward the
lioness, who was gathering up her body for
spring For short, short time she kept still,
only looking at me with fierce eyes and snarl-
ing. Then the cub began to yep again, and
suddenly saw the honess springing into the
air and falling on me.
~ don't know what happened then for
some time afterward, for great blow struck
me and I died. Lost consciousness
''When came to life again it was after
noon. The ioness was lying close to me,
partly across my legs She was quite dead,
with the iron stake right through her body.
The cub was standing beside her, whining
and licking the dry blood. was covered
with blood oil over, painted with it thickly
Just as we paint our bodies with red ocher
and mutton fat before we dance Most of it
came from the ioness, but some had flowed
from wound on my shoulder, where she
had struck me with her claws. l felt very
sick, master, very sick. When / tried to
stand up everything went around and fell
to the ground again.
'sBut by and by, as the sun went down and
the evening breeze blew cool, felt stronger;
so picked up the lion cub and threw him up
the side Of the pit as far as I could. He held
on to the grass stems and scrambled out. I
soon climbed out after him and caught him.
Then I held him in my arms and walked on
toward the camp. 1t was not far, but it took
me long to get there. was very often sick
and had to stop and rest; then the lion cub
was heavy and my shoulder hurt me. But
now have got here and have brought you
the lion cub, have I not? My friends have
bound up my shoulder. Master, have told
you ALL am very tired; let me go and
sleep"
Muropo got not only his five COWS for the
lion cub, but added another five as pres
emit on condition that Muropo celebrated his
marriage before we left Ovampo Land So
one day there was grand festival in Chin
tengo's town, and after handing over the ten
co VS. to his father-in-law, Muropo, daubed all
over with red ocher and mutton fat, and
bravely dressed in the skin of his lioness, es-
poused the plump and smiling Kangomhe,
with many strange native rites and customs.
Then followed great orgie Of dancing and
drinking. The mingled sounds of shouting,
drum beating and the twanging of native
guitars created deafening hubhub. There
was much feasting on roast beef and drink
ing of maize beer, and when-for it was the
last evening of our stay-I went to take leave
of Muropo I found him genially drunk, with
his arm around his wife's neck. = London
Graphic.