The morning news., 1898-11-13
A RACE WITH A LION.
A Cyclists Adventure Ia Central
Africa,

A Cyclists Adventure Ia Central
Africa.
Mr.. ID. C. Robertson, Gala estate. Ma
mazi about midway between Blantyre and
Zomba, sends the following note to tho
British Central Africa Gazette;
l rode out on my bicycle from Blantyre
on Monday afternoon, Aug. %. and reach
ed Mr. Stroud's (Mrs. Bruces AGENT be-
fore the sun went down, and after waiting
for few minutes, started again, just ar
ter sunset. BY the time got 10 the Ma
mazi crossing (where my private road
crosses the Blantyre-Zom main road
beyond Mr. Morkers plantation 1t had
got quite dark except for little light
the new moon was giving. The road Lead
ing TO the Gala estate from the main road
has only just recently been made and is
quite soft and lumpy. besides being very
steep for at least half its length. The
rest of II s fairly level, but none of 1t IL
In a condition for cycling yet. except the
portion which extends from my first PLAN
tation TO my house, which was made some
time ago, and is now nice and hard.
When left the main road / dismount-
ed. and started pushing my bicycle up the
hill, but before I had gone far / heard a
heavy body pushing its way through the
bush on my left. / thought IL was some
big game. possibly an eland or buffalo, but
as felt a certain amount Of uneasiness
went to the other side OF the road, and
pushed away as quickly as 1 could. When
l had gone O short distance up the slope
/ looked around and almost had ft when
/ saw q full-grown lion standing across
the road, broadside on, with his head
turned towards me, and, as looked he
started In pursuit. / attempted to mount
my machine, but, owing to the slope and
my excitement, failed twice The third
time ] succeeded In getting away, and
did pedal for all / was worth, but the
machine kept wobbling across the road,
and I saw that the lion had lesseued the
distance between us by about half, though
1 was still fifty yards from the top Of the
slope. He kept up a low growing all the
time, and / could hear him more and
more distinctly every time as he strl les
sened the distance between us. I think
/ could easily have outstripped him If II
had been level, but the machine kept up
rattle, rattle, over the inequalities In the
road, and once or twice l was almost
thrown off. / did not dare to look back;
indeed there was no need, as the growl
plainly told me that he was almost on me-
but at last / reached the crest and flew
down the opposite slope. / then suddenly
remembered that there was an open cul-
vert across the road some 200 yards ahead,
but there was no time to dismount, 50
rode into it. and the shock flung me high
out Of the saddle, but j fell back on 10
without being knocked Off Fortunately
the side Of the drain next the hill was
high and the opposite side low, so that
the machine was not stuck in the culvert
and though the front fork was twisted
and the front wheel grated against IT, IL
was not quite jammed, and i was able to
ride on. When 1 reached the smooth part
OF the road near my first plantation 1 was
able TO get up good rate Of speed but
/ no longer heard the growi In the rear
Next morning ! went back along the road
and / found the lion had come as far as
the culvert and had there come to a stand.
The chase therefore lasted along the
whole road from the main line through
about two miles.