The National tribune., 1897-12-09
4 FIGHT BETWEEN LIONS.
BY DIR. J. q. PORTER.

sDoctor." said Convers OF the Artillery,
then hunting in eastern Soudan, did you,
who have seen so much of wild beasts,
ever witness a fight between lions?
"Once." his companion replied, only
once. and am not likely to forget il"
"Ah. BebTi,' shouted Convers, bring
beer. Tara. Tara! hasten, be quick, y
mani Now, Doctor, fill up your pipe ana
tell me the story"
well" replied that scientific tramp,
COMPOSING himself more comfortably on
praying carpet which he employed TO SIT
upon you know, OF course, that non
wins and keeps his mate only by fighting
successfully with every pretender TO her
favor Such encounters constantly occur
during certain seasons, but very few have
been recorded, because they take place
chiefly at night, and in remote wildernesses.
THE lioness before her whelps are born
is always ready TO forsake any consort Tor
a more powerful or fiercer rival; in fact, VIII
provoke combats on all occasions, evidently
deliChting in them. Naturally this is bene-
fetal TO their race, since il goes far towards
securing what Darwin calls a survival OF
the fittest!"
yes" reioined Convers; 81 knew in gen
eral way that this was the case, but Is IT
not also true of tigers?"
No" said his comrade, and speaking in
that vague and misleading manner we are
compelled TO employ when using ordinary
modes OF speech with reference TO inferior
animals, lions are gallant and chivalrouS
gentlemen compared with those deadly and
infamous wretcheS. Two tigers cannot in
habit the same neighborhood. One OF these
ferocious and solitary monsters always
kills or drives away the other; whereas
lions live under ordinary circumstances, IN
comparative amity, and frequently COM
bine TO secure prey-Somethlng which
tigers never do, being apparently incapable
of even temporary association. The tlgreSS
is forced to conceal her male cubs, or their
sire would destroy them; and if mother
occasionally found in company with half
grown offspring, or two or more wandering
tigers stop awhile in the same jungle, that
is as far as mutual liberation will extend. J"
But the story, Doctor, the story, ex-
claimed Convers.
Yes" his friend answered. "what you
want TO hear about happened while was
following up traces of that Egyptian emf
grafton into western Soudan, brought about
BY Amrus invasion. My course extended
srom the Nile, through Agades and various
GASES, TO Timbuctoo and JENNIE, where this
Hamitic colonization came TO an end. /
had only two Arabs with me, and five
camels. There was no danger to be appre
hended beyond those risks which desert
journeys always involve, and up TO that
time nothing in the way OF adventure had
occurred.
grass, water and trees were all at hand, SO
as the previous marches had been hard
ones, and our camels were tired, ] deter
mined TO remain there until next day. This
oasis must at one time have expanded TO
considerable size, but now drifting Nubian
sands began 10 overwhelm it, and already
the fertile land was cut up into number
Of green islets separated by broad bands of
encroaching desert.
'None OF these spots looked very flourish
ing, still that at which we stopped seemed
20 be pretty well stocked with palms and
mimoSas, while on its eastern edge a
spring OF good water welled out into basin
at the base of one solitary pyramidai
granite tor so regularly formed as TO seem
artificial.
There was drawback, however; our stu
alton was not all that we could have de-
sired; the margin Of this pool had been
literally tramped by lions. Where were
they? Not far off, certainly; and, indie
pendently of our own possibly more sud