Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1891-01-11

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Some time in the night / was aroused
by the lion roaring and making great
fuss, and | made out that another male
was in the neighborhood and challeng-
ing him to fight. 1t was none of my az
fair, however, and after listening for
awhile dropped to sleep, and did not
waken again until daylight. TIE first
thing saw as looked out was my lion.
He had not moved rod, and had lost
none of his determination to make a
meal on my poor flesh. / was hopeful
up to noon but heard nothing. All the
long afternoon / felt sure that help
would come. but the sun went down
down and was still a prisoner and the
lion had not moved. He must be thirsty
and hungry, and his remaining where
he was showed that he possessed dog
ged obstinacy unknown in many others
of his kind. The nearest water was
four miles away. AS darkness came
determined to add to the brute's suffer
ings, and / therefore worked my body
as near the opening as / dared TO kick
at him until he was worked into state
of fury. This added TO his thirst, and
when he finally Quoted down he walked
about uneasily. Had he trotted off in
the direction of the river l should not
have dared to leave my retreat, as the
route to camp was dangerous one by
night, but he did not go.
About 9 o'clock in the evening heard
another lion roar close by, and he was
Instantly answered by my jailer. l had
made the old fellow mad all the way
through, and he was now anxious to
| fight. The other must have been in the
same frame of mind, for il was not ten
minutes before he advanced to the at
tack. and, although | could see nothing,
/ could catch the sounds of most ire
mendous struggle. | believe the fight
lasted full half hour, and two or three
times the combatants rolled against the
mass of rock. They finally drew away,
the sounds became fainter, AID | went
to sleep, hoping for release in the morn
ing. When morning came my iailer was
not visible. After taking due precau-
tions against surprise | crept out to
find the coast actually clear and made
Decline for camp, and reached IL with
out adventure. The men had just got
pit about two miles away. went with
them after breakfast to get him out, and
from certain marks on the body recog
nized the animal as the one who had be-
sieged me- We had no more trouble in
getting him out than as if he had been
dog, but the mystery was explained as
we lifted him out. He was half dead
with the injuries he had received in the
fight with the other lion. His right eye
was destroyed, his jaw fractured, the
end of his tongue bitten off, the left
hind leg broken, and he had been bitten
and clawed in fifty different places. We
did not believe that he would ever get
well, and therefore killed MIN for the
value of hk hide.
About four months later had an ad-
venture with a black rhinoceros, which
the reader may deem worth printing.
This beast, as all readers OF natural his
tory are aware, is one of the most pug
naciouS on earth. He never waits to be
attacked, but is always on the lookout
TO attack. He's true fighter from way
back, and will leave off eating to accom-
modate any living thing, with a scrim-
mage. | fully realized his pugnacity.
We were on the Quambo River, al
most directly west of Quiimane, on the
east coast, and | went out one afternoon
on foot to locate spot for a rhinoceros
pit. Nv two white men had gone an
other way, and. as afterward transpired,
none of the natives took particular notice
of the way went. followed a broad
path through the open forest. alongside
Jungle and across a marsh, and, the
day being cool and fine, | stepped oil
briskly, and had gone at least three
miles from camp before.I began to look
about me for a location. All pits for
larger animals are dug in narrow paths,
and generally where the same winds be-
tween trees or crosses Il thick jungle.
| soon came to a bit of jungle about
eighty rods across, and half way down
the path ] broke off some branches as a
sign to the men who would come to dig.
| was returning when big black rhi-
noceros stepped into my path just where
| il left the woods. He was headed for me
and no doubt saw me at once, as he ut
tered snort and charged.
had some forty rods to go to reach
the open woods, and about forty the
start of the beast. ! knew his speed.
and dropped my rifle as | started. |
ran as only a man can when his life Is
at stake, but | was not over six feet
ahead of him when reached the end of
the Jungle, and turned sharply to the
right. The rhino was under full head
of steam, and he could not bring up UNI
til he had gone a hundred feet ahead OF
me. ! used he short time allotted me to
climb Il tree, and had only got seated on
branch about twelve feet above the
earth when he was beneath me. He bad
turned quick enough to see me go up.
When the beast found his efforts as
pusher useless he made a circle Of the
tree and dug up the soil with his horn.
At one spot he encountered root larger
than a mans arm, and this he uhcov-
cred for distance of ten feet and then
broke it off. The sterile soil kept him
at bay in all other places, however, and
he finally backed off and remained
quietly watching me. rather enjoyed
the adventure for the first hour but
when | suddenly noticed that the sun
was setting low began TO feel uneasy.
| remembered how quietly | had left
camp and the distance | was from it,
and it dawned upon me that / was in
bad fix. broke off branches and hurled
them at the rhino, but he stamped his
feet and maintained his position. |
made believe to drop on the ground, and
in his eagerness to get at me he raised
up on his end. When / remained quiet
he stood still, and finally made up my
mind that was doomed TO night in
the forest. l had my hunting knife,
but no other weapon. | cut some
branches to make my seat more comfort
able, peeled a stout rope OF bark to tie
myself fast. and darkness came before !
was fairly ready,
OF all the nights l ever put in on the
African continent that was the worst
and the longest. Darkness brought
-, ,.r;ods Of insects IN bite and sting me