Daily tobacco leaf-chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1890-1895, 1890-05-29
CAPTURING A LION CUB.

CAPTURING A LION CUB.
We were in the interior of Ovanpo Land, a
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 peerng
at distant game, aud 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 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
sway, flashing his tail from side to side and
watching me steadily out Of his big yellow
eyes, while the loness, 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 tue brush
wood.
Meanwhile my first start of surprise over,
had seized my gun from the holsters, and i,
as well as the fdgety backing of my horse
permitted, took aim at the lions forehead,
between his eyes, and fired As soon as the
smoke had cleared away 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 CalveIley and | had finished our
dinner of rietbock steaks aud 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
Oyampo 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 fine looking creature,
fully six feet in height, with well knit frame
and pleasant face. His name was Muropo.
Every one in camp liked him, and every one
know 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,
who ruled over considerable village some
ten miles from our camp Unfortunately, in
Africa, as general rule, it is not much easier
for n pcnniless young man to get married
than 10 is in more civilized countries. Now,
unless Iuropo 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
unconsdered trilles when our stay in Oyampo
Land should come to n close,
When my coffee was finished got up from
the zebra skin on which had been reclining
md went to look at the way my lions hide
was being prepared.
"Wel, Muropo,n | said, in my imperfect
Ovampo speech, why didn't you catch one
of those little lions when had shot the fa-
theri En- You know how much | want to
have live lion cub to send to my country"
sob, master' he replied laughing, you
didn't think Muropo was such strong man
that, without II gun, he would be able to
snatch n lion cub from its mothers mouth,
did your Why, / had not even spear"
ayes, 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 thuse lion cubs
and brought him to camp, | might have
given you enough to buy five cows, and there
would be half your marriage money"
"Whntp exclaimed Muropo, starting up
with an cnger look in his eyes You are
speaking TRUTH masterl You would give me
five cows FOR one Of those small lonsf
Il would really"
al won't forget that; 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 ! missed Muropos stately
form among the group of campfolowers who
were dressing the pegged ous skin He had
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
tengoS town to see his sweetheart
However, just as we were going to bed
there was commotion in the camp, and
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 10 my tent. II was Muropo,
aud be had brought little lion cub, with
its pawa tied together The poor little thing
mewod piteously, SO while Muropo went
to wash of tina blood with which his body
was caked, had the leather thongs cut which
tied the cubs paws together, and sent for
some goats milk, which it eagerly Tapped.
Presently saw Muropo very busily engaged
eating and | called him up to hear his adj
ventures. Aud this is the tale ne told U.S.
Master, you know you told me yesterday
evening that YOU would give any one five
COWS who could bring you lion cub. Well,
] Thought of that all night. | said 10 myself,
III can get ono Of the small cubs we saw
the other day, when the white man shot the
lion, that will bring me half the purchase
money OF Kangombe, and shall soon he able
20 make up the other half and get married to
any sweetheart SO this morning at dawn,
] started Tor that open place on the border Of
fhe Ongaye forest, where we saw the lions
YESTERDAY. ] soon found 1.-The footprints Of
the lioness going into the forest and coming
out-thoso coming uut were the freshest, So |
guessed She had gone out foragins for her
cubs Then | began 10 follow the Spoor
which led into the bush, for ! knew these
tracks were likely 10 lead to The place where
she kent her cubs l walked very slowly
and very softly for, you see, had only
my small spear with me, and no gun, and II
the Hone>s was in the wood wanted TO SEQ
her befou she saw me, Al last | heard a
whining boi-,-, and. pushing my head through
she leaves and twigs, saw in the hollow he
tween the roots Of big tree three little cubs
about ,hree months old As quick as pos