Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1895-02-16
Killed i'm a
....LiOn Hunt.
Surgeon Mackay Aimed the
Death Shot Over the Shout
der of His Attendant.

lelu 10 ne twenty wears ago. fNper-
fenced lion hunters agree that the king
of beasts will seldom attack man un-
less made ierociou> bv wounds, and
with the heavy and accurate guns now
in use for such hunting the chances
are that once hit with bullet the
animal will be in no condition to make
fight. Occasionally, however, news
comes OF the killing OF too adventur.
Gus hunter hy lion, and such Il ease
is that of Dr +. :. Mackay, an En-.
lishman. who recently lost his life in
an encounter with an African lion,
the largest. most powerful, and fercesi
of the feline kind
DIR. Mackay, who was an athlete
aud fine sportsman, was left by the
British ship Pioneer, of which he wa.
surgeon, at village near the south.
ern end of Lake Nyassa on Oct. 20
Having learned that heard Of cle-
plants was close at hand he decided
to try Tor some ivory. and accompani-
ed by two Makua bows carving dou-
bile eight bore rifles, and his body SER
want, Zanzibri named Musa, carry
ing his double 577 gun, he set out for
the interior On the way they fell in
with several Angoni natives, who went
along with them, offering to guide them
to the place where the elephants were
feeding. an otior which he gladly ac-
cepted After three days of tramping
they came To n large pool surrounded
by Il thick jungle and as they crashed
through the brush lion and lioness,
who had been drinking, trotted away,
the lion looking back over his shoul-
der Dr. Mackay fired twice at the
lion, the second shot wounding the
animal i'll the hind quarter, but not
disabling him. On seeing the animals
two Makua> and the Angonis had
selected the largest trees in sight and
climbed as far up them as possible,
shouting warnings from their perches
to DIR. Mackay and Musa, who start.
ed after the lions. the heavy rifle hay
ing been reloaded.
Now, lion III the open may he
hunted, with all the chances on the
side of the hunter. hut lion in the
jungle is another matter, particularly
a lion wounded but not disabled. The
two men must have known their dan
ger when they started into the tangIe
of trees, shrubs. and vines, but the
surgeon was bound to get the lion
and Musa declared his intention Of
following his mas,e~ wherever he went
They had walked, or rather crawled
but Few rods when Mu>a cried:
There he is master
The lion, who had gathered himself
for Il spring, launched himself at tn,
hunter as the shot rang out. The next
instant the animal was upon DIR. Mac
kay, who WAS Knocked down before h,
could fire the second barrel. \ quick
blow of the rifle was met with swee,
of the lions paw that sent the weapon
spinning away. and the hugh jaw,
closed over the mans left arm
crushing the bones. \ second blow
from the paw broke the other arm
The hunter, living on his back, sue
ceeded hy a powerful kick in THROWN.
the lion of for moment and had hi
leg broken in doing it, but that mo
ment probably saved him from hein.
killed then and there. for the faithful
Musa. who had run back for one o
the guns which the Makuas had drop
ped when they took to the trees, now
fired, hitting the lion in the shoulder
The lion, with roar, charged The boy
who coolly waited ready for the sec
ond shot, but the lion sell before reach
ing him.
"Musa," called the Doctor, IN,
arm and lee are broken. Bring m,
tie gun
Making detour about the lion wh'
was slowly raising himself the bo,
carried the gun 10 his master, but th'
wounded man could not hold it uP.
Sit down, Mu>a, and rest the gul
ON your shoulder he said.
Mu-a did rs he was bid, although
the lion was now on hi> feet and ad
vancing upon them. II the shot fail
ed to kill, both men were as good a
dead. The Doctor waited, and th,
lion advanced. Musa sat rs stcaly a
n rock. The rifle that rested on hi
shoulder did not even tremblc. \
length DR. Mackay fired, ard til,
lion fell dead. Then the Doctor faint
ell. Mu>a and the others bound W
hi wounds with wha, skill they had
| but lie told them when he recovered
Consciousness that he was fatally hurt
They carried him to the nearest camp
where he died three DAYS later. just Is tn,
Pioneer was putting in to yet him. II,
saw the ship coming il, and, though hi
friends were too late to find him alive
they did what they could by takin.
the body 10 the University Mission
Station and giving to i! Il funeral will
full naval honorS.
"A Word 10 the Wise is Suf