St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1892-08-27
CAPTURED BY A LION.
An Adventure With a King Of the
Indian Jungle

Among the crowd that gathered about
the lions cage in the Geological gar
dcns one fine day recently the writer
observed q midlle-aged gentleman hold.
ing by the hand two children of about
eight or ten years of age. The gentle
mans erect and soldierly bearing BE-
trayed at once his calling, even had not
the Victoria cross he wore on his breast
done SO.
WAS the lion You killed. grandpa, a
big as this onc?" asked the boy.
"Wcll,to my frightened eyes, Arthur,
he seemed three times the size. but can
truthfully say he was quite rs large -
this one" replied the old soldier. as the
children led him to q seat near by and
implored that the story be told them
where the big lion could illustrate it rs
no words could do; and, interested BY
what had already heard, took the
liberty Of seating myself on the same
bench and listening to the rest. Tho
gentleman saw me and understood my
desire, but only smiled benevolently
and went on.
"You two have heard all about Il
many times but I suppose there is
nothing for me TO do but tell It again.
Well, then, in 1875 I obtained . fur
Tough Of . month. which, with three
other friends, ! meant to spend In .
grand hunt in the great forest that lay
within half mile of the station where
we were camped I had been in In
dia nearly . year, and was beginning
to get tired of the inquiries that came
in every letter from England n to
whether had yet killed . tiger. So
now resolved to kill one or know the
reason why. But dsy after day we
went further and further into the jun
gle without meeting any big game that
we thought worth pursuing. We had .
native with us named Ram Haiti, who
occasionally warned us that We were
getting into . dangerous and unfre-
quented part Of the country which,
hunter rs he was, he had never pene-
trat-d; but this was the very thing we
wanted, 30 pushed on, thinking we
must surely run across . tiger soon.
Ono day, . very hot one, that even in
the forest nearly prostratcd MS We
were camped on the bank Of little
river Haiti called the Nm. and toward
the afternoon my friends proposed to
take . swim in the stream. was feek
ing rather unwell. SO did not Join
them, but remained lying beneath the
trees and DOING at intervals. Ram
Haiti went with the others, and so
was left alone. I had dozed longer
than usual when I was awakened by
feeling something warm and damp
touch my hand, that was thrown out
beside me.
Opening my eyes. 60 my astonish-
ment saw o huge beast standing over
me, snuffing at my clothes and limbs.
Here is my tiger at last I said. But
one glance at the creatures tawny
skin, and at the splendid name that
swept the ground, told me that my
visitor was not . tiger. but . lion,
and . magnificent male at that He
was evidently trying to see IL was
dead, for he kept sticking his nose in
my face In q way that I might have
found comical but for the gravity of
the situation. / continued 10 eye
him through my half-shut lids and
hoped that he would presently decide
to 60 away. But just here heard the
voices OF my companions returning
from their bath. and one-a light
headed subaltern-was singing some
camp ballad at the top Of his voice.
The lion paused and listened, and then,
In sudden panic, sprsng towards the
jungle. and l was congratulating my
self on this swift and pleasant
termination Of my adventure when
the royal beast glanced back and our
eyes met
He gave roar aud then leaped To-
ward me. as il he meant to have me In
defiance OF the approaching enemy. I
closed my eyes at once. bat il was too
late, and the next moment the lion had
fastened his teeth In the sleeve Of nv
cost and was dragging me after him
into the thiclet There Wa no use
struggling with the now frightened
brute, who would turn and rend me In
Q moment, 90 ] allowed him 70 carry
me whittier he would. for I did not
doubt that my friends would Be on his
trail as soon as they missed me. I
helped myself on all I could, for
found that il lay inert the effort
of the animal to drag me over the nm.
dcrxrowth, thorns and fallen bouQhs
would soon rake away every inch Of
akin from Oh my body. So assisted
him ~ could y ssttiAg myself evss