Daily tobacco leaf-chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1890-1895, 1890-05-29


sible had jumped over the root and picked
up one OF the cubs It was not very fright
ened and didn't struggle much, being used to
be carried about by its mother. ! held fl
tight under my left arm and crept out OF
the forest When / was just outside, and
STOPPING 10 pick a thorn out OF my foot,
heard low growl, and, looking up,
| saw the lioness walking slowly towards
me- Ny knees trembled, and | felt q
dead man already, but did not let &c
Of tho cub. Facing the lioness, who had
stopped and was sitting on her launches,
lashing her tail gently from side TO side,
walked backward till was quite clear OF the
bush and out on the open plain. Then the
cub gave a yelp and the lioness suddenly got
up and commenced trotting toward me. Mas
ter got frightened. Thought l would run.
An OYampo man can run faster than lion;
but had got this cub and 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 me.
II 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. | 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
1aA, IL ~ v1fN
that we dig for catching elephants and rhi-
noceroses. There was big, sharp iron stake
at the bottom, standing upright. Fortu-
nately 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 | broke the force of the
fall and came TO the bottom very little hurt
II put down the lion cub and began to con-
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 Then noticed
that iron stake, and 1t seemed just the thing
| 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 1t 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 a
spring For a short short time she kept STILL
only looking at me with fierce eyes and snarl
ing. Then the cub began to yelp again, and
suddenly saw the lioness springing into the
air and falling on me.
II don't know what happened then for
some time afterward, for great blow struck
me and died. Lost consoiousness,)
"When l came to life again it was after
noon. The lioness 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 all 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 lioness, but some had flowed
from a wound on my shoulder, where she
had struck Inc with her claws. felt very
sick, master, very sick. When | tried to
stand up everything wont around and l fell
to the ground again.
But 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 could. He held
on to the grass stems and scrambled out. !
soon climbed out after him and caught him.
Then l held him In my arms and walked on
toward the camp. 1t was not far, butit 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 notf Ny friends have
bound up my shoulder. Master, have told
you all; | am very tired; let mo go and
sleep"
Muropo got not only his five cows for the
lion cub, but l added another five as a pres
ent on condition that Muropo celebrated his
marriage before we left 0vampo Land. So
one day there was grand festival In Chin
tengos town, and after handing over the ten
co US to his father-in-law, Muropo, daubed all
over with red ocher and mutton fat, and
bruvely dressed in the skin of his iioness, csc
poused the plump and smiling Kangombe,
with many strange native rites and customs.
Then followed great orgie of dancing and
drinking. The mingled sounds of shouting,
drum beating and tho twanging of native
guitars created deafening hubbub. There
was much feasting on roast beef and drink
ing Of maize beer, and when-for 1t was the
last evening of our stay--I went to take leave
of Muropo found him genially drunk, with
his arm around his wife's neck. = London
Graphic.