The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1894-05-24

growls and snarl5 were enough to
make one shiver.
We had made some bark and grass
nets for just such purpose. When
one was spread out and dropped down
on the captive he began to tear at it.
and by dropping in two more he was
soon tangled up by his own actions
until too helpless to move. Then we
got a rope under him by means of a
pole, placed the cage convenient, and
as he was elevated the rope was led
through the cage SO as to pull him in
to it. He made fight for it, but it
was no use, and within an hour after
we began work he was safely Gagged
The net was tnen cut away as far as
we could reach 1t, and two Of the ma
tives sent off with the cage to Ber-
bena. Poles were run through it so
that ii hung like a sedan chair, and
the fellows could travel with him at
the rate Of two miles an hour We
got nothing at our traps at the drink
ing place. and for the next three
nights it seemed that the lions had
left the neighborhood entirely On
the morning Of the fourth day, it be
ing cool and cloudy, | rode up the
river about five miles to the edge of
the valley, rich with grass, in hopes
Of getting some fresh meat. left my
horse III Il small grove and went off on
foot to stalk a herd Of ten or twelve
hartebeests who were quietly feeding
within pistol shot of Il lone bush. /
got down on my hands and knees to
creep to this bush for cover, and as |
was to leeward Of the game, they fed
on without the least suspicion of my
presence Creeping forward foot by
foot | had come within five feet of the
bush when / scented lion. You know
how the cages III a circus OF a zOolOgi- |
cal garden smell. The sleeping place
OF wild lion is ten times as strong,
and | should have got the scent before
/ did had the wind been stronger.
No sooner did [ get the susp icion
that lion was close at hand than [
drew back, but at the first move there
was a roar, a rush, and | fell fiat Just
as the lion bounded up and sailed
over me. could have touch |
ed him by extending my arm. [ was
up like flash, with my Iiflc ready for
a shot, but there was no danger. The !
lion was galloping away toward the !
ridge as fast as he could go, and when |
| sent bullet after him he increased |
his pace and did not once look back. !
There were no bones about his sleep {
ing place, and | concluded that he was
simply taking a nap there, while his /
wife and q cub or two were holding !
fort in a rock den further back. That |
same night the lions returned in force. |
and before the evening was an hour !
old we had to double the guard around .
the corral. We hoped the pits might |
catch some of them. but when morn /
ing came we found them unoccupied. |
" e were in luck with the traps, how
ever. Riding over to the ford after
| found magnificent male
hon fast IN the jaws Of trap, caught
10y both forelegs at the joints. | saw
HIM when yet long way of, and he
also saw me and renewed his eXertiOns
to free himself. When [ had brought
up Il party OF natives we sat down to
see Ille lltD. IL WIS Il SANDY SnOlt.
and | believe that lion had flung three
wagon loads Of sand in his struggles.
He had bitten the trap and chain un
til they We're covered with blood, and .
he had scratched and dug with his
hind feet until he had scooped out
hollow which almost hidhim from our
sight. We let him work for an hour f.
before making move, and he finally |
tired himself out and lay down and |
wlined like dog. Then we attached |
the nets to poles and enveloped him,
and as soon as he was tangled up we !
got him into cage and released him
from the trap. 1t was three days be
fore he got the use of his forelegs
at all. and a fortnight before the lame
ness entirely disappeared
We got nothing more at this camp,
except d couple Of hyenas, which We're
knocked on the head. and after about
twenty days we moved twenty miles
further up the country to a pool or
lake about two acres IN extent Here