The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1891-06-18
A True Story.

1t was while was second mate OF the Comet.
bound from Frisco to Sydney, with cargo of lum-
Der, that the incident which 1 am about to relate
occurred. On the 10th of June 1865 the Comet
sailed out of Frisco with full crew an fair wind.
everything indicating prosperous voyage. We
arrived in time at island, called by the sailors
the Hallway House." where vessels in our trade
usually stop for water.
Part of our crew were detailed to go ashore and
fill the empty casks with the fresh spring water,
which this island is noted for. We had got about
half the casks filled when we found that we would
have to make two trips of it. So while stopped
behind to fill the remaining casks, the others
pulled for the ship.
Now. while was busy filling cask. heard a
roar which nearly frightened the life out of me.
Springing behind empty cask 1 looked up and
there 1 saw the cause of my fright. 1t
lioness, and one of the largest have ever seen.
looked up none too soon. for the next instant she
gave another one of those awful roars and at the
same time made flying leap at me; but she mis-
calculated the distance and instead of lighting on
me she went PUNK into the cask behind which 1
was standing. Then, with presence of mind
the cask lioness and all. and springing up seated
myself top, intending to hold the ort until the
crew came back from the ship. But the lioness
did not take it so easy; and in her turnings and
twistngs to get free she got her tail through the
bunghole Of the cask. Now the sight of that tail
stirred up the long forgotten memories of my
youth, and beginning to fear that her royal high
ness would get out before help arrived, reached
over and tied knot in her tail with quickness
and agility that only sailor could exercise. Then
jumping off the cask started to climb a tree
close by. However, there need of any
such haste on my part, for, on the lioness getting
free, she started to give one of her blood curd-
ling cries, but cut it short when she found some
thing Juggling at her TAIL
There is no use of my trying to explain the con-
duct of lioness under those circumstances. You
have often no doubt observed the actions of dog
with tin tied to its tail Well this just
the very same thing only larger scale.
Now" thought 1 as descended from the tree,
what will the boys think when tell them the
adventure which have had - but, will you be-
lieve it, they only laughed at me when told it,
and one of them patted me on the back and said,
THAT is very good yarn, Joe. but - and
he began laughing again. Nothing that could
say would make them believe my story. We'll"
said 1, "it is true.'
About sixte months after that, to me men,
orable cruise, we had occasion to put in at the
island for another supply of water, and, as
the island is small one got permission Of the
captain to bring the whole of the ships crew
ashore in quest of my lioness. Although the men
laughed at me. and did not believe there would be
any in it, still they entered into the hunt with
a very good grace We had got about halfway
across the island when heard very strange
noise which seemed to come from a bush little
in front. Some flung tin pan into the BUSH
and the next instant there sprang out from it the
lioness with the cask still tied to her tail, and
what is wonderful STILL four little lions with
kegs attached to their tails following her.
OF course the men apologzed for ever having
doubted my veracty: and now whenever tell
a yarn, it must be very stiff one if they don't
believe it. J. R.