New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-12-03
now THE LION MILLS HIS PREY.
A FAMOUS SOUTH AFRICAN HUNTER TALKS

FAMOUS SOUTH AFRICAN HUNTER TALKS
ABOUT THE KING OF BEASTS.
The writer once had the good fortune to be
fellow passenger with George Seous. beyond doubt
the greatest South African hunter, and at present
one OF DR. Johnsons righthand men In Matabele
Land. The talk In the smoking cabin was on the
subject of how different animals kill their prey.
and one smoker. having remarked that without
doubt the lion killed his with blow from his
powerful foreleg, was corrected by Selous: Il
once" he said. had rare chance to see Hon
catch and Kill his prey in the open in daylight
While on n short hunt In Northern Transvaal with
n Dutch Boor we saddled up afternoon to shoot
n couple OF quagga- Burchell's zebra-for our fol-
lowers quagga meat being preferred before all
other by the negroes OF that country. We had
ridden a considerable round without falling in with
any. but about hour before shutdown we came
across troop Of about fifty.
"Galloping up within shot fred when one
mare dropped Reloading and mounting. We started
after the troop which had now disappeared over
ridge. on gaining the rise We saw the quaggas
trailing out in the hollow and beginning to ascend
a second slope, one or two stations bringing up
the rear as IL their custom Gathering on. my
companion suddenly pulled up and pointed out to
me a lion trottlng quickly up toward the quagga
line OF retreat. behind few scattered powders
and low bushes dotting the slope. evidently with
the intention OF securing his supper. We moved
slowly forward. when the hlndmost stallion think
COMPANIONS at smart canter. - ,ao ., ,h
ut was exciting The quagga was close 10 the
line OF the Hons approach \ couple OF SECONDS
more and the dark mass OF the Hons form shot
out from behind stone on his prey. In a moment
the quagga the ground. The hon left
instantly moved n few yards distant and lay down
with hts head away from the quagga. twitching
his tail nervOusly from side to side. as much rs
to say. II have done that properly The whole
is dii'lcult to describe The Hon had not yet seen
us. but on our riding nearer he turned and faced.
looking rather put out at our appearing on the
scene At first he seemed inclined TO bolt, but ut
last lay down facing us. evidently unwilling TO
give up his game Being anxious to examine the
quagga. and knowing my Boor friend TO be trust
worthy. rode up to about NIFTY yards and as
mounted. | held the horses keeping my double
rifle in reserve in OF accident. The lion. not
liking the look OF things. got up and walked a
few steps toward w. growing savagely. told
the Boor 10 shoot straight. which he did. hitting
the lion with his old six-to-the- pound on the point
OF the shoulder. the ball passing out behind the
other shoulder and dropping the lion on the spot
ION examining the quagga IL appeared. from
the claw mark that the Hons LEFT forearm was
thrown the wither and the claws liked In
the shoulders. the right forearms claws In the
chest; the left hind claws had been driven into the
flank "A little below the level OF the hpbone. the
right hindfoot evidently the ground thus hold
ing the animal as II in Wise while the teeth had
met In the neck about three or four inches behind
the ears smashing tn. bone eYectuay
2ounce bullet Death was instantaneous The lion
was a full-grown male with perfect teeth Subse-
auently | lost a tethered mare, killed ny Hon
In precisely the way. and all the old hunters
Of the country agree that the lion uses the claws
"a a holding power and Kills with bite"