The morning call., 1891-08-12
CHASED BY A LION.

Cassel's Family Magazine, tells the champ
ion lion story. a lion had escaped from a
menagerie and was lurking near Aldershot
camp. Two officers were out riding when
they came upon the lion:
The camp was about two miles away.
There was a sort of foreign wildness in the
aspect of the little pass into which we were
entering. The soil was of fine yellow sand
not smooth or level, but broken up into a
succession of billowy ridges, with here and
there an abrupt hillock rising tall enough t0
impede the view. We were riding with our
horses neck to neck. l had just lighted a
cigar and was following with some interest
an account which Captain Angus was giving
me of an exploit in the hunting field, which
the reader perhaps would scarcely thank me
to recount Suddenly he stopped dead, and
Mt the same moment refined his horse in
with such yehemencs that the creature
reared right up on his hind legs with loud
and long-drawn neigh. Wondering at the
reason of this abrupt arrest, | checked my
own mare and came to standstill beside my
companion.
"What is the matter, Angus?" inquired.
For answer he did not speak word, but
slowly raising his arm and extending it from
his shoulder, the forehnger pointing nearly
straight ahead of US, he brought his eyes to
my face, and remained in that posture
watching my countenance as | perceived the
object he was indicating. And what was it
that l saw? Following the direction OF his
raised arm L discovered upon the summit of
one OF tie little hillocks about 200 yards
away, standing moti0nleSS as a statue, its
form blending with the yellow color of the
sand, the figure Of great shaggy lion! The
creature stood stock-still, its tail alone
whisking slowly from side to side, intenty
surveying Us. Fer our par. we sat equally
motionless in our saddles, Angus with his
ann extended and his eyes fixed upon my
face, as though he had become transtiXed in
that posture, and l in the posture of aston
isted regard into which had fallen on first
perceiving the lion.
Suddenly my horse grew FESTIVE; it fret
ted and neighed, and commenced to curvet
aud paw the ground as though alarmed.
My friends horse likewise eyinced the same
signs of apprehension. l kept my eyes as
steadily upon the lion as Angus did his upoa
me. The creature, with stealthy cat ike
bounds, commenced advancing very slowly
toward Us, pauSing at about every three
steps 1t made 10 rear its head and stand
staring at US, then continuing its sneaking
advance along the ridge of the hiiiock upon
which we had first discovered it.
| withdrew my fixed stare to turn in my
saddle and look around me. My movement
seemed to break the kind of spell under
which August sat; his arm sank slowly to
his side, and his eyes rolled from my face to
the figure of the lion. To right and left the
sides OF the valley shut III the view. In
front stood the lion; behind the defile in
which we now were broadened out until it
became little more. than mere uEdulatoG
in the broad wild plain through which it ran.
As | slowly swept the sandy track in our
rear, | suddenly observed man on horse
back emerge into the open, moving leisurely
along ut about the distance OF mile or so
away, and, gazing intenty, | made him out
to be 4 cavalry soldier; probably a mounted
orderly WHO had been sent for the camp on
dispatch business.
I'VE must bolt" said Captain Angus at
my elbow; that lion means mischief by
the manner in which it is advancing toward
us; and mark you how FESTIVE the horses
are. Their instinct is keener than ours
they can scent danger In the air. The in
staut we move to fly. depend upon it the
lion Will start IN chase, and our ouly chance
will lie in out-runuing him, for unarmed as
we are, what could We do to defend our
selves against such brute?"
Look you. Angus; yonder is mounted
orderly riding across the country. You
have good eyes; see what you make of
him."
Captain Angus shaded his sight with his
hand and stared toward the retreatiug
figure.
1T is a Lancer trooper" he said pres.
emily. can see tue plumes in his head
DeQUOl uutter-
ing from his lance"
HE is armed, then ?'
"He is carrying his lance" replied the
Captain.
Good" l cried. "Now, if we can reach
that soldier before the lion catches us, we
shall be all right 1t will not take him long
to touch the heart of the brute with the keen
steel head of his spear. Fortunately We
have not been working our horses hard, but
they must go now if ever they did for their
very lives. Are you ready?'
Yes" said he, drawing his hat on firmly
ard planting himself square upon the sad
die. Come nOwI'
We turned cur horses about, and with
shouts and slaps gave them rein. The in,
telligent creatures, as though conscious OF
their danger, started OF like frightened
deer along the sandy valley. l let the newly
lighted cigar drop from my mouth and
setting my knees firm against the sleek sides
of the mare, grasped the reins with griI
of steel. a low sallen roar reached my ears,
and turning for an instant to glance over my
shoulder caught glimpse of the lion fly
ing after US in pursuit. its 1.-THE form bound
ing like fash of light from ridge to ridge
and its whole shape mere fleeing vision oil
flowing name, flashing eyes and dis;ended
jaws.
Hey-onl Hey-upp twas like dead
heat with the order of the hunt reversed
The horses hoofs Numbered over the sand
lHhy
swept with the velocity OF the wind toward
the figure of the soldier. every instant grow
ing more defined. My cap few off / tried
to catch 1t. but ii whirled awav astern like a
bit Of chatf. Our speed was prodgious. /
felt my horse tremble beneath me, and the
steam rose from its reeking hide in a warm
mist. i lay forward to whisper in her ear,
although, breathless as / was. l rather
Kissed than spoke the sylables of encour-
agenent which came from my lips. My
companion and kept our stations abreast OF
each other with wonderful precision. We
occasionally exchanged a few hurried
words, but it WAS no time for talking; the
whirl and tumult, and above all the sense
OF danger, were too great Tor conference and
almost for articulation.
Five minutes passed. although so much of
sensation was packed into them that the
time might well have been an hour. Once
turned again to see whether we still III ain
tanned our station ahead of the lion, and
perceived that the creature was slowly but
vlsibly gaining on us. Yet the speed of our
horses was prodigious. l could feel the
heart of my mare beating with violence
that sent thrill through her whole frame
to each throb of it, but she kept bravely on,
with no signs OF tagging. Whether the SOL
dier had perceived us or not as yet it was
impossible to say; but even il he had done
so, there could be nothing in the sight of two
officers galoping TIL ough the Long Valley
would be as common to him as the sight of
his own blue tuDic. l could now clearly make
him out, even to the glitter of his accoutre.
ments. He was heading transversely away
from us, his horse going at a moderate trot
Several times we united our voices in q
shout, but he was apparently still too distant
for our confused hallos to reach him, for he
kept steadily on.
Presently, however, 1 saw him turn his
head in our direction. l raised my arm and
hourished 1t wildly, hoarsely calling to
Angus to do the same. He snatched off his
hat. which still adhered to his head, and
waved it violently. The soldier continued
looking our way. growing palmer to the
view even as lie did so; then apparently
noticing our gestures, and interpreting them
into signals, he drew rein and brought his
horse to standstill. Now that he had
stopped we swept down upon him like whir
wind. AS we approached we alternately
shouted and pointed behind us, but he ap.
parently made nothing of these signs-as in.
| deed, what suspicion should he have of the
real motive of our headloDg flight toward
him? Suddenly, however. lie rose nearly
| erect in his saddle, and L saw him hastily
release his lance from the sling which con