Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1891-02-10
A CURIOUS SEA STORY.

Once while cruising on an Z iglish
government brig making a survey of
the mouths of the Niger, which, YOU
know, fall into the Gulf Of Guinea on
the west coast of Africa. curious ad-
venture befell ux
We had been in and out of the south
erly mouth, aud were standing eff shore
TO avoid a shoal, when, 10 mi es off the
land, with the tide running out, the
wind died away and we came to anchor
on good holding ground go feet below.
At that date the natives along the
Guinea coast. and especially about the
mouths of the Niger. we're exceedingly
hostile toward all white men, and our
brig was well manned and armed ON
that account We had on two or three
occasions h. en- Obliged to fire into native
boats to keep them off. After a bit we
could all make out craft which wa,
slowly appro. ching. but no man, even
with the best glass aboard. could satisfy
himself that he(had ever before seen one
like it. Il came within mile Of us and
then stopped. and after long look
through the glass the captain decid d
that it was no c c.aft at all, Tut great
log or raft Tlis matter having been
settled, and the thing coming 40 nearer.
we gave it no further attention.
When night came tile brig was left
in charge of the anchor watch, and
nothing occurred until about an hour
before daylight Then voice su ldenly
cried out in alarm, and this was fol-
lowed by snar,s and growls anil urried
footsteps The cabin doors and SIX light
were opened to admit the air. as was
also the slide to the o'castle entrance
Some one rushed down the companion
way and shut the doors. and a minute
later, as we turned out of our berths. we
learned what WAS going on. The officer
Of the watch said we were boarle by
lions. who had drifted down upon our
bows on what he believed by the smell
to be dead whale The two sailors had
made for the fo'castle and down the
slide, while h. had made for the cabin
to close the doors.
The thing seemed so Improbable that
we were ready to j4er him, even though
some of us had heard growls, but be-
fore any one could doubt that the Of
ficer was telling the sober truth, we
heard the beasts raving along the deck
and stopping to raise great row at the
water cask. A heavy sea could not
have torn it from its fastenings. but the
lions accomplished that feat in short
order. The gentle have of the brig on
the quiet sea then rolled the barrel
about, and as the water ran into tile
scuppers the beasts Tapped it up with
low growls Of satisfaction. We saw
nothing, but our ears told MS all this.
Our noses we're soon called into use.
After few shifts the captain said:
IF that isn't dead whale alongside.
then l am mistaken in the smell
never heard that lions cared for whale
flesh, but the fellows on deck must have
floated off shore ON this carcass and their
long exposure to the blazing sun has
made them terribly savage.
We felt that we could do nothing
until daylight came We lighted the
cabin lamps, so that the lions might not
leap down through the skylight, which
we could not close from within, and
then waited. They managed to lap
water enough to sIake their thirst, and
then they went roaming up and down
in search Of food. They could find moth
ing. and as daylight appeared their i'll
humor increased. They trotted up and
down, growing in a way to give one
the shivers, and it was lucky that all Of
us were under shelter When day had
fairly come we stood under the sky
light with our guns, and presently one
of the lions came trotting aft
aud showed his head over the frame.
Three of US fired at the same instant.
and with such effect that he III back
dead The death of one took the COURAGE
out of the other, and he ran away to the
port bow and leaped upon the carcass of
the whale, which still held TO us. We
heard him run along the decks, and for
that matter his tread was heavier than
that Of any mans, and after bit the
captain stole up the companion way and
discovered and reported the true stats
of affairs. Then three of US made shift
to-get into the shrouds Of the mainmast.
and from our safe perclles we alsc
made an end Of the second beast, which
was the female lion.
Although the pelts were sent to Eng
land, and the manner in which they had
come into our p ,ssession was vouched
for by government officers Of the civil
branch, the Liverpool Mercury was
pleased to come out with the statemen,
that Gulliyer was a truthful man in
comparison with any man aboard our
brig New York Mercury.