The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1896-02-18
A HERO OF MASHONALAND.
How q Boy Rescued His Grandfather Fro
an Enraged Lioness,

How q Boy Rescued His Grandfather From
an Enraged 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 theii
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 had
outspanned his oxen close to good feeding
and water neither Of which advantages OBJ
tanned near the township itself. Unfortu
nately lung sickness had set in among hi;
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 tc
gone to bee 81 g}he @ Asa a was tie tee nt III
morning the herdsman, up betimes, sought
the sick OK and found it 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
ton Of q lion venturing SO near the camp
His young grandson, aged 10 years, had 6
mind infamsd by the wonderful lion kills
he had heard on the way up and finally
persuaded the old man to ''Yo and see. y
Catching up the rife and handing his car
fridge belt to the boy, of he started. True
enough, the carcass Of the OK had been part
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 a little distance to the right of the
dead OK stood one of those large ant hills
that are the subject of wondering interest
to nearly every one who sees them for the
first time Said the boy, "Gran'ther, the
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 t.
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, somewhat
unnerved the lad.
He withdrew a 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 a 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 ths
patient removed to the temporary hospital
The writer of this article was fever pa
tient at the time and can vouch for tbs
truth of this act of gallantry on the part Of
the l0-year-old b-,y.-London Globe.