The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-09-04


coon STORIES OF THE PRESENT M I
Catching a reroe,ous I,acl. M.usd Lilo.
In Africa.
Copyright. 1899. BY chart, b. k.ri..
NJ. Clergett. who was an eccentric and {
miser. died in Paris in 1869. For the last ter
years OF his life he visited the Royal Zoologi
cal Gardens almost daily. ami he always tool
his stand before the cage Of n certain lior
named Majestic. The beast was u very large
and powerful animal. and between him and
the miser there came about a friendship which
was the talk OF all visitors. NJ. Clergett was
the only human being who dared put his hand
into the cage and caress the beast. and had II
been permitted he would have entered the
cage. He had only one fault to find with Ma
jest!c. The monarch was not n black-maned
lion. A great French hunter who had travelled
in Africa had told him OF seeing n black
named lion. which was n far larger beast. and
he WAS never satisfied with his pet after that.
The lion. after q captivity Of sixteen years.
died in April. 1859. NJ. Clergett died twenty
days later. 1t is sail that he died of grief ut
tie loss OF Majestic. Be that as it may. no left
n will in whichthe sum Of 1880 was donated
to the zoo ito procure from Africa q full-grown
specimen Of the black-maned lion. who shall
be named after me-" 1t was provided that on
each and every Sabbath day the said lion shall
be entitled TO five pounds OF dressed fowl in
addition to his regular diet Of fresh meat" and
at death he was to have a tombstone setting
forth his name and other particulars.
The beQuest was accepted. as the old miser
turned out to be very we'll of. and had no rela-
tives to go to law over his will. An order was
ut once despatched to the great animal dealer
at Hamburg. but black-maned lions are like
yrbito nlapho pfa-fo,v md for hofxva,r Nh
house had not had one in five yeare. The order
was placed to be filled. however. and tine dag.
weeks later. while l was in the Buchnana conn
try. and had secured o rhincosNs and two
leopards. a letter was received by messenger
from the coast which read:
Drop all other work until you have captured a frll
grown black.mAned lion. Nest he u perfect specimen.
To read was to obey. Within half an hour
I was sending out %couriers to the natives. with
the promise Of Q musket and fifty charges OF
powder to any one who could furnish the in
formation wanted. The news reached a viii
lage fifty miles ava before anything came OF
1t. Then an old man sent me word to como
and see him. and when l had arrived 1 found
that he had Just reached home from a visit to
a village nearly fifty miles to the west. There
lie had beheld o black-maned lion with his
own eyes. and had como very near falling
a victim to him as well. The beast had
just made its appearance in the locality.
and was described as the largest lion
any OF the natives had ever seen. He
had an unusually heavy name. and it was
almost Jet black. while his color was that OF n
mouse. instead Of tawny. This latter fact. II
it was a fact. proved that the animal was not
yet more than 10 years old. though full grown.
ana after u three-days' march we reached It to
lind, IL collection OF about Alty huts on the
rear of the village was a range OF mountains.
Between the stream and the mountains tho
living In peace and plenty. At night their
cattle were secured in Il kraal or pen, con-
f f5sa Ssss & & { ! sp asS thsss j sI il si. aid nsss i 3
The new arrival had sienalized his rfesence
the night before our arrival he adIeaped ths
barricade. killed u steer about two years old.
ann q nile EsI ffom t Ias .S SHH a 60 d re %sss sr e. fio was is stiIi
fresh. and could have been followed to the
spot where her the lion was sleeping aiter his
the fact Of this fellow ileapins out again with
There was plenty OF blood and hair on the
thorps and sharpened sticks. but It appeared
f beay ne en nsd aW neatly MnrS s'G 6nraar the fence With his
or more Of the villagers who had been turned
put BY the ru'nPus n the pen saw the lion az
Nv SutAAo oht- ~ til1O JAW tIcIl, huu IOuEGu
and give battle. When he went away he had
drew the. body along the ground. Il 10
~ 4 Ii1 nd does clsr net lsaE into a kraal until he has
he makes use, OF tho same spot. provided 1t has
not t. m : 3nc; ihs been repatrSd' KNOWING this
Ske elSs Is q wI RI a ahIis'Sf III ISjs 'e isiioW at as e s Wss
clearly to be seen. had made his bound Six ioet
from the base OF the fencc and had alighted ut
about tho samo distance on the other side. Ii
was not TO be expected that he would return
pit. Wien com rpIieteIi it Y was ten feet tG ioRc' o six Z
feet wide. and twelve feet, deep. and we cut and
drew sSs up va 2 Lot IsG q ~ nG EsSn P E}n rt to Mace across 4
three, DAYS. No attempt was .made to conceal
the pit, as th9 fence WIS thick At TINT point.
postin one Of the nuts j, ca1gilt sight Of tie
lion at about 3 O'Clock. He did, not roar, when
down TO within POO Ioef Of ths' kEraal and then
stood and listened and shifted tho air as IL
fine target for n tlle. but under the circum-
stances he A vas IS, safe from ny arrI m. cattlo
wise made i,Ss a Great fuss. tSt his io srtisEH WAS WAS
not in the least put out. could not have
and ! saw that lie was q grand specimen.
legs, with q black plume at tile end Of his tall.
and | was determined to make him my prize
If it took a year Of waiting and planning. The
natives said that the lion was not hungry. hut |
had come out for exercise and to SPY around. |
an hour. and what started him of was tho dis |
tant roar OF another lion. He roared In reply. |
and it seemed as II the sound would shake
down the roof OF the hut Halt an hour later
we % heard ala the , sounds tTs OF q terrific "a combat half
THAT Is good. Fighting will make him
hungry and less cautious, and Tomorrow
night we shall capture him."
around and found tho spot where the fight
tpok place. 1t was on an open spot between !
thickets; with grass four inches high on the
sahrtl. This struggle had been a terrible one. 4
Ihe sod was torn up. the grass covered |
with spots, OF blood and tufts OF hair.