Los Angeles herald., 1891-03-25
A PAIR OF PET LIONS.
ANTICS OF THE TERRORS OF THE
FOREST THAT ARE AMUSING.

They We're More Playful Than Kittens.
Seemed to Have Human Love for
Fun-They Played Havoc, However.
with Tame Animals at First.
Previous to making up country trips
in South Africa always laid in sup
ply of calico dresses and pound packages
OF tea to serve as presents for the wives
Of the Beers in the outlying districts.
Tea is used by them only in cases of sick
ness, and the Donation of calico dress
is always met by an interchange of dairy
and hen roost products. In one Of my
trips, while in the neighborhood of an
old vrouw, finding that the larder needed
replenishing, jumped on my shooting
pony and cantered over to her house,
followed by my Kafir henchman "Jan-
nary" carrying basket containing the
tea and dress. The noise Of my pony's
hoofs on the sunbaked earth caught the
old lady's cars and she met me at tho
door with the explanation:
''Tm 80 glad you have comel"
"WhyY'
Because I have pair of young lions
for you"
"Where are theyw
sKnocking about the house some
where"
I Immediately dismounted, handing
the reins to January, started indoors,
and finally brought up in the kitchen,
where found the whelps asleep on the
hearth. On asking how they were capt
ured she informed me that some two
weeks previous her son had shot q
lioness, and, finding her in milk, hunted
around until he picked up the youngsters.
Immediately bargained for them with
the understanding that they were to be
given all the milk they would drink, not
teased, and kept until my return, some
three months ahead. The tea and dress
were then produced, and January had to
enlist the services of one of the farm
Kafirs to assist in carrying to the wagons
the butter and eggs which were received
in exchange.
On my return 1 found the cubs had
been partially weaned, which was fort
unate, as it would have been impossible
to get fresh milk for them daily. Taking
them in my arms started toward my
cart, which had been driven up in front
of the house, for the purpose of throwing
them on my bed; but the oxen bolted ON
catching scent of them, and it required
deal Of patience before they would al
low them to be loaded.
On coming up with my train Of wag
ons, loaded with antelope, guns, ETC., the
cart was prudently kept some distance
in the rear, for fear of stampede of the
teams, and it was fully week before
the oxen became thoroughly accustomed
to lion odor
The whelps would pass the time while
travelling lolling about on my bed, which
shared with them at night, but as soon
as we stopped and the oxen were turned
loose for grazing their heads would be
thrust out from the front of the cart
waiting to be lifted out, so that they
could have their customary game of
romps with the dogs and myself.
We had reached the more thickly set
tied portion of the country when one
day, just as we were outspanning, q
couple Of young Beers cantered up to
the wagons, one of whom carried fine
chacma seated behind him. On dis
mounting the reins were handed to the
baboon, who had seated himself just in
front of the horses, and started for the
cart in search of the ''square rigger"-
j. e., gin fask-in order to pave the way
to purchasing the baboon.
On reaching it the heads of both
whelps appeared, expecting to be lifted
out, as was customary. On catching
sight Of them the baboon gave scream,
the horses snort of terror, and each one
took a separate path across the veldt,
followed by pair of disappearing Beers.
l saved my gin, but lost the chance o.
buying fine chacma, and sulkily re-
fused to join in the usual frolic.
The trip home was made without fur
ther incident, and on arriving the young
sters were allowed the run of the house,
but at night they would persist in shar-
ing my bed with me- After having been
nearly smothered by trick which they
had of lying across my face, finally
compromised matters by arranging cot
alongside my bed with stout wire
screen intervening.
Of course the arrival Of the young
lions was soon noised about, and did
not lack company, especially on Sunday
afternoons, when my establishment re-
sembled miniature geological garden,
and the female whelp seemed to select
just such occasions to play pranks on the
bipeds of her own sex.
N Her favorite ambush was under the
table of the dining room, the door of
which opened on the passageway through
the house. So long as males passed she
would remain quiet, but as sure as a
single female or party of them at
tempted to pass through she would
spring out and crouch just in front of
them, invariably causing hasty retro
grade movement, accompanied by Sc
ries of screams. Once, while in the rear,
giving some directions to the Kafirs, I
was startled by piercing Shrek, and
turned just in time to see frightened
female dart out of the back door and
come at racing speed toward me. In SO
doing she had to pass directly under a
tree in which was chained baboon.
So soon as she was fairly under it
the brute dropped on to her shoulders,
whisked off her bonnet and wrap and
was up on his perch in a jiffy. She
dropped in dead faint, and before