The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1894-09-18
A HERO OF MASHoNALAND.
How Boy Rescued His Grandfather From
an Enraged Lioness.

an EDraged Lioness.
Soon after the British South Africa char.
tered company's band of pioneers had oc.
cupied the country Of the Mashonas, sun.
dry parties OF prospectors, Intending set
tiers and others were following in theI
wake. Among them was an old Dutch.
man, who had sold off his possessions in
Cape Colony, and accompanied by grand.
son was thus early to the front in looking
after the advantages offered by the com.
pany.
Arrived safely at Fort Salisbury, be haG
outspanned his oxen close to good feeding
and water, neither of which advantages oh
tanned near the township itself Unfortu'
nately lung sickness had set in among his
oxen, and for the safety of the majority he
had drafted the actual sufferers and was
grazing them on an isolated patch of grass
not far from his wagons.
One evening his herdsman reported &c
him that one of the sick oxen was too far
gone to be brought into k-aal The next
morning the herdsman, up betimes, sought
the sick OK and found 1t dead. He discov
cred also that some large beast OF prey had
made meal off it. of he hied back to his
master and announced that lion had
killed and partly eaten the OK.
South African Dutchmen are not prone
to believe everything they hear; so our trek
ker, in this instance, poohpoohed the no
tion Of a lion venturing so near the camp
His young grandson, aged 10 years, had @
mind inham,d by the wonderful lion kill,
he had heard on the way up and finally
persuaded the old man to "go and see
Catching up the rifle and handing his car
fridge belt TO the boy, off he started True
pnnmul "a q "a of ha ny haI aft
ly eaten. Dutchmanlike, he at once looked
for spoor, but the ground was too dry and
hard to receive impressions. He then made
cast around, beating through several
patches Of long grass, but without success.
At Il little distance to the right of the
dead OK stood one Of those large ant hill;
that are the subject of wondering interest
to nearly every one who sees them for the
first time. Said the boy, Gran 'ther, th,
schellum might be behind that ant hill. "
Leisurely the old man directed his steps
toward the spot where he, after inspecting
the ground on three sides, was about tC
give up his quest. Look into that bunch
of tambookie grass, suggested the boy.
Turning to do so, he was met with full
onset by splendid lioness Her spring
landed her on the old mans left shoulder
her weight carrying him to the ground
where she lay with her teeth set fast in the
Dutchman's shoulder. He lay prone with
his rifle thwartwise under his body. Listen,
ye English lads, whose souls are fraught
with histories of derring do.
The boy, seeing the old mans plight, did
not run away or set to blubbering. Not he
Down he went on his stomach and crawled
near enough to catch hold of the rifle, which
he drew away, and then, looking to see il
the cartridge was all right, he took the best
aim he could at the lioness. His shot took
effect through the loins of the beast, which
half rose and, snarling savagely, somewha,
unnerved the lad.
He withdrew few feet farther back,
when he removed the empty shell from the
rifle and carefully reloading, took second
shot with perfect success. Shot through the
heart, the animal rolled over on her side,
and after tremor or two was stilled in
death. BY this time several natives from
the wagon, hearing the shots, came running
up. They made "A primitive kind of ambu
lance, on which they removed the man tc
his wagon. A doctor was sent for and tn,
patient removed to the temporary hospital
The writer of this article was a fever pa.
tient at the time and can vouch for the
truth of this act of gallantry on the part oI
the lO-year-old bny.-London Globe.