The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-08-27

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A FULL GROWN MALE LION ALIGHrED ON
HIS BACK.
tives had discovered q large serpent
lurking under some bushes. and the
shouting and running stampeded the
captains horse. He galloped away up
the stream as fast as he could 20. and
thinking only of recovering him as
speedily as possible rose up and ran
after him. taking no weapons of any
sort. 1t wasn't the most sensible thing
could have done, and yet it wasn't so
very foolish. didn't suppose he would
go over half n mile, and though there
were plenty of lions about we seldom ran
across them on a bright day.
ran up the narrow path about n mile
before sighting the horse. He was fac
ing me and had got over his scare. bntas
came nearer he turned and kicked up
his heels and trotted off.
Here and there was n tree, and there
were many bushes scattered about The
soil was sterile and rocky, and near the
center of the plain was hill which was
little more than q mass of rock. The
horse passed to the left of this hill and
followed. He was not over 200 wards
away. head up and paving the earth in
play, when full grown male lion made
long spring and alighted on his back.
The horse uttered horrible cry and
sank down, probably having his back
broken. It was not until he was down
that really knew what had happened.
The lion stood there with his forepaws
ON the houndering horse and looked me
full in the face and growled nenacingly.
began backing away, and as the beast
showed no disposition to follow me no
sooner got two or three bushes between
us than turned to run.
There was another surprise party in
store tor me as turned about. Not 40
feet away stood lioness. was prob
ably the first white man she had ever
seen at close quarters. Her head was up
and her tail down, a sure sign of doubt
on her part, and made haste to get out
of the way before she should take it into
her head that was an enemy. had to
go to the left or toward the hill, and it
was doubtless the fact of seeing hole
among the rocks about 10 feet up that
suddenly took my nerve away and in
duced me to seek shelter. Had fanked
the lioness and gone my way all would
have been we'll. l reached the hole in
the rocks without difficulty and backed
into it, never stopping to think that it
might be the lair of wild beast or a den
of serpents. The opening would not
have let me i'll had weighed 100 pounds.
There wasn't much space behind it-only
sufficient to enable me to sit down. l
confess to being thoroughly ratified for q
time and never recall the situation with
out wanting to kick myself After an
hour or SO began to realize what fool
ish thing l had done and determined to
crawl out and make for camp. Ihad my
head and one arm out of the opening
when fierce snarl saluted my ears, and
right i'll front of me and not 80 feet away
beheld both lions. More than that, a
cub lion about 10 months old was frisk-
ing at his mothers heels.
was boxed up, and the only hope l
had was that if kept quiet the lions
would soon retire. The presence of the
cub was proof that the lair was not far
away. Indeed l got an odor now and
then which satisfied me that l had al
most Numbered upon it. Had the sun
continued to shine the beasts might have
laid up as the bushes offered but little
shade, but the sky clouded over. and the
atmosphere grew cooler. I waited an
hour by my watch before looking out
again. The lioness lay on her back, feet
III the air, sound asleep, with the cub
near by, but the lion lay with his head
or his paws and his big yellow eyes wide
open. He did not growl nor move, but
bis eyes shone like Goals of fire at sight
of me. While he could almost cover the
distance at a single spring, was not
afraid of him. l had only to sink down
TO be safe. That big head of his was
twice too large for the hole. and the
rocks were too solid to be moved. I
got my watch out where I could note
the time and then made an experiment.
At exactly 1920 o'clock caught his eyes
and began staring at him. 1t wasn't O
question Of how long he could stand it,
but how long could continue the stare.
AT the end Of II minutes my eyes ached
so that had to close them. During all
that time the lion never even winked, to
gay nothing of betraying nervousness.
knew that Captain Jordon at the
camp would send some of the men out
after bit to search for me, but as none
of our black elbows knew much of the
use of firearms and were also cowardly
when there was no white man to lead
them did not anticipate that their