Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1893-11-06
coaaleso OF the slleso.


tAe water hole o the north and tie thickee
- The south. anA right through the centes
a tie grove, leading from thicket 70 water,
b . hard beaten path. The elephant, rhi.
noceros. Rira6e. srhra. springbok, buffalo,
Hon, hyeoa, wolf and jackal havetrod this
patA On occasiona
The hunters have driven the big game out
of this section Of Griqua Land. but the
path In still In nse. Even before the sun
eoes down big hyena, painting with thirst.
dodRes ~ 70 the right 70 get to the water,
and three wolves emerge from the thicket,
70 make . hastt retreat It sight Of the
camp. A. soon - supper il disposed oe the
oxen are secured to the wheels of the wag-
oos, large quantity Of fuel brought in,
and then the 20 natives close up the Open
tngS With . breastwork Of thorn bushes.
They make this breast work thickest and
highest ON the south side, and they further
Strengthen it with sharp stakes Is In aba
tis. ask them why they do this and old
Mingo grins and replies:
This IL the path by which the king
comes and goes, and he will be angry when
he finds us here"
The sun went down, darkness came like
the fall Of q curtain. and presently we heard
from the king. A mile or more away to
the north. in some dark, cool spot in the
great thicket, he had been sleeping away
the summers day. Rest and sleep had
brought thirst. He would drink his fll
and then stalk through his realms and ex-
hibit himself to his subjects, asking no ia
vors, but commanding servility from all
heard the distant rumble of thunder and
stood mp to see from which direction the
storm WINS approaching.
1T IL not thunder, but the voice of the
1,o1
Of the trees
Five minutes later the sound came again.
II was nearer now. and this time I could
not lie decrived. Lions in captivity will
roar when excited, but it is a weak imita-
tion Of the voice Of lion on his native
heath. The roar of a full grown lion as he
moves out of his lair for the night is sig
nal to every living thing for miles around
that he Is astir and a challenge to every
thing with life to cross his path at their
peril. No hunter hears it without feeling
awed at its immense volume and power
without making obeisance to the throne
from which it comes as proclamation.
There Is N longer interval this time. His
highness has got our scent and is perhaps
bit puzzled and put out, though all the
time he Is advancing toward US and intends
to make a thorough examination. During
this interval the oxen crowd closer togethe
and beCin n low, sad moaning. and after
heaping fuel on the fires the natives hide
away in the wagons or find safe places in
the tree tops The captain and ATE left
alone. and as we get out our double barreled
shOfcuns and slip in buckshot cartridges
the King reaches the edge of the thicket
and stands for In moment without the
slightest movement To stare at u.s. 1t is a
stariit night. and Mingo. who is percl,ed
above my head, can plainly see his royal
Eighness and will keep us posted
Now comes roar which drops half the
cattle to their knees aud fills the ear like
thunder rumDling along mountain side
II begins as il the lion was in deep pit al
most ut our feet, and when it reaches lis
climax the believing Of a dozen oxen
would he drowned out. he dying away 10
like the beginning. hut through ii all j. a
savageness that tries the nerves far more
than the brief rUar Of tiger rs be- lean.
mp for = charge. We are camped on the
kings highway, and that roar expresses
his surprise and indignation at our audaci;y.
The glare Of the campfires is . new sight
to him. The big white topped wagons
have never greeted his eyes before As he
stands and switches Ills tail about he must
realize that the camp is = strong one and
not mingled with hia indignation.
The king Is coming. master!'' shouts
Aingo from his perch. aud We ct ready to
greet him.
There Is NO more roaring He has ehal-
lenRed us and defied IN, and now be n
coming to punish us for daring to ohstruct
The path which perhaps be nrst Married
out - royal highway. Everything b 70
quiee for . moment that Ne can heor his
fooetalh He d0es mot advance . few lese
and then halt, but comes stsaight q. his
bead well up. his eyes shining and hi long
tail switching the bushes each side Of tie
path. Aingo can rad his intentions b.
his walk, and be shouts down to N:
Look out ,maseer! He will come into ths
campr
The captain took Q tree about % TT
from the one shelteFing me, and Ne drupped
20 our knees and brought our guns 20 .
ready. The path was midway bstwsen ~
The king did not change his pace until -
came within 100 feet Of tie bssastwork.
Then he uttered . catlike snari, beoke into
. run 10 get his spring. and Eve fese ffum
came sailing over like . great bird. The
height was II feet. The distance o. .
straight line Was q feet. Both Of N arvd
~ 49, OcAOaG VIC hoA1<Aeus 8A1O 2Ik8xo - n
touched the earth, but all four shots
missed. He bounded up the path between
"a cleared one of the tents at leap and
landed among the oxen. The natives
raised . direful yell. and to this was addsd
the believing Of the frantic cattle, and b.
fore We could seize fresh guns and cover 50
fest Of ground the king bad taken his de-
parture. One OK was dying Of . broken
back. and two Others were badly clawed.
but that was getting Cd cheap. The bease
kept On to the water hole, quenched his
thirst and then roared M another defy.
went down to the breastwork ON that side
and emptied my winchester It him - fase
- could pull the trigger. He snapped
and spat 1t the bullets whistling By, but
was too proud to retreat under Dire. When
got through shooting. be lay down with
his bead ON his paws and watched our
campfire, but after awhile, satislied thashe
he -