The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-12-03

Zulu cried quickly: ''Khabdarl sahib! bara
khabit janwar" (have care, sir, very
dangerous animaD. When l turned to up
braid them all for their cowardice they
explained that the natives who had recent
ly Joined us had told them that TINS wadl
was inhabited by a pair of dreaded man
eating lions, which had killed some nfty
natives i'm the past. As there is nothing
in the world that a native breads so mach
as a man-eating lion, or leopard 0he lat
ter are scarce, but really do EXIST, curb
ed my anger, and, resolving to square ac-
counts WITH the marauder on the morrow,
if he could be found, returned to my tent,
where l soon fell asleep again.
Our cook awakened me at daylight the
following morning, and after rubbing my
eyes sleepily / found the darkness and the
lion had faded away together, while the
wadi was alive with the notes of bird and
wild fowl. After a hasty breakfast / at
once filled my jacket pockets with cart
ridges and accompanied by Gan, the Zulu,
started out upon the spoor of the lion.
When we had proceeded about a mile we
came upon the half-eaten carcass of the
donkey, lying in a small thicket After
some careful reconnoitering we ascertained
that the lion was not there, and SO contlu-
ued on his spoor over the thin growth of
grass. AS 1t had rained lightly during the
cary morning. THIS WAS very uiltlCuilf dllN
after following for half mile we host It
altogether. There was noth1ng to do but
return to camp, which we did reluctantly,
trusting that fate would throw the game
in our way before we left the wadi
With the cool of the evening came the
usual feeling of restlessness, and calling
to Gan who was sitting apart from the
rest, cleaning his eight-bore, we again took
up the spoor of the lion, following 1t lels-
urely until we reached the carcass of the
donkey. When we reached the spot we
were delighted to discover that the Hon
had been there shortly before our arrival,
his great tracks showing plainly in the
tell-tale sand. We followed these in hot
haste, and soon an excited exclamation
from the Zulu told me that the game was
close at hand. The epoor now led towards
a dense thicket of wait-a-bit thorns. about
200 yards in diameter, which we APP
preached with extreme caution.
''I4ion there sure, sahib," whispered Gan
in Zulu, adding that I should approach
from the front, while he went around TO
the rear to intercept him in case he tried
10 pass through AS I approached the
thicket with the hammer OF my gun
drawn. 1 could at first see nothing. was
about to call to Gan when 1 suddenly
made out the backs OF two large, yellow
animals in the grass, and a moment later
discovered that there were two cubs with
we're gazing in the direction taken by Gan,
apparently not having noticed me. mo-
ment later a fine lion sprang out into the
open and seeing me less than ffty PAGES
away. gave a low growl and disappeared
into the thick brush. The other, a lioness,
stood looking about, evidently reluctant
to leave her cubs. She was cycling me
closely. and it required great deal of eff
fort to enable me to scrape up enough
courage TO approach nearer AS did so
she Turned and ran about ten feet TO
thick clump of grass in Whlcn she
crouched so low could only see her head.
A Hons yellow eyes are singuiarly inn
pressive, especially If you happeii. 20 pc
watching them some thirty yards distant,
with nothing but the open, level ground
between. They incline one 10 great deal
of discretion, and>ft was with extreme eau
ton that 1 slowly approached her, her eyes
following my every movement ana Watch-
ing intently on my part for the first sign
If a coming charge. When I had reached
a point about fifteen yards from her /
concluded that I had better open HOSTILE
ties. and taking very careful aim at
her head between the eye and the ear,
I pressed the trigger. With furious roar
she sprang into the air and seemed 10 ny
back through her lair / quickly threw
in another cartridge and hred just as she
disappeared into the bushes, and on in
stant later l heard the roar of Cans ele-
phan gun, followed by the snarling Of a
lion / quickly ran around the thicket,
and arrived in sight Of him just as he
was in the act Of discharging his second
barrel into the very mouth OF the lion,
which was charging straight for him As
he fired he quickly jumped to one side,
while the lion turned a complete somer-
sault. but regained its feet in an instant
and stood wavering, evidently too sick TO
ATTEMPT another charge, but growing hor-
ribly. was about to fire a him when
he fell over on his side, and as we ap-
preached nearer we could see that he was
in his last gasps, and beyond the possi-
biHty Of doing harm. A few convulsive
struggles, last attempt to gain his feet,
and he was dead.
After making sure that the lion was
done for we retraced our steps TO the other
side Of the thcket, cautiously approaching
the place where had seen the lioness dis
appear. We had not proceeded far when
we came upon her, stretched under a
thicket and breathing her life out. 50 near
ly done for that she was unable to rise
at our approach. ] gave ner shot In the
head and she settled back with shver
and lay still. For a moment | stood, lost
in admiration OF her graceful proportions,
with the mighty muscles beneath her
glossy skin. when my attention was at
tracted 10 Can, who was trying 90 cap
iure The cubs. Although they were very
young not much larger than kittens. IN
fact, there was much infandle growing