The daily morning journal and courier., 1899-11-23
THE CHARGE OF THE LION.

Shooting the King of Beasts at Few
 Yards Distance.
 After we had gone fifteen miles, wind ing ill and out among the m1mosa bushes, the two horsemen pointed over- 1 head to the blazing zone, and 1 saw hundreds of vultures flying at an im- mense altitude. Dismounting and ad- vancing alone on foot with my rifle, l soon cought sight of the dead camel The lion was crouching behind it, and appeared almost exactly of the same color as his prey. 1 was within eighty or ninety yards when the lion sprang out toward me and remained for some moments motionless in a dsfiant atti- tude, his forepaws extended hls head near the ground but his back arched. me I reserved my tire-besides, the dis tance was too great for an absolutely certain shot-so that I might give him my two barrels at close quarters as he was charging down at me. After that l knew l must trust to luck as I had no second rifle or gunbearer, and should have no time to reload.
 After we had thus regarded each other for some seconds the lion turned slowly and numbered away. I was sorry since he had not charged, that had not fired, and sent a bullet screaming after him through the bushes, as better late than never. I was soon in the saddle and away upon his tracks at a gallop accompanied by the mountain guides. The lion soon stopped under small mi- misa bush, crouching and glaring at us with waving tail was we rode round I then approached on foot. The brute was now swaying his tail and body from side to side with much energy, and clearly upon the point of charging down to kill me.
 As I walked round to get a flank shot into his shoulder the lion moved SD as to face me- keeping his body invisible, and rendering chance shot very haz- ardous, the brain being the only vital part to aim for If one of the horse men had only ventured near, or if the lions attention could have ban distract ed for a moment toward another foe, he might have turned and given me my opportunity of fatally crippling him.
 The only issue was now the death of the lion, or of myself, or both Which it was to be depended on the accuracy of my aim and the coolness of hand and eye. Every instant the baast, like huge cat after a bird, was working himself up for the inevitable charge, flashing his great Hanks with his tail. I remember wondering at that supreme moment whether the popular super stition that on the end of his tail a lion has a claw or sharp point where with to goad himself on to the attack could have any groundwork of fact.
 now gave up all hope of any easy shot, and feeling that further delay was impossible, as he might deliver his charge at any moment, 1 sat down, and, resting my elbows on my knees, fired twice a. his head through the bush at a distance of about sixty wards These shots failed to kill and, utteFing hoarse growls the lion edged round the bush. facing me and keeping low upon tho ground. I reloaded quickly and, stand ing upright SO as to clear the grass, fired my right barrel downward at his head. The lion immediate rose u his feet and charged down upon me at full speed, running swift and low. Only my left barrel remained, and, covering his chest with the sights of my rife as he neared me, l pulled the trigger, wh2n he was q few yards distant. Exact y what the lion did no man will ever know, unless the natives saw. As I stepped hastily to one side, reloading, I was struck by a shower of stones and half blinded by cloud of sand and dust. The lion must have ,assed close by me, and swung abruptly round under cover of the smoke.
 When the dust cleared away I saw the lion under the bush again-the same old bush. He had delivered his charge. | and it had failed It was a sick and sorry beast and evidently disconcert- ed and wounded unto death. I now had ! an easy side shot into his shoulder and | quickly put two bullets through his | heart l had seen one of the grandest | sights of Africa-the charge upon ones | self of the wild African lion, practically carried home-a charge that few have | sustained and yet come off unharmed. One can have too much of good thing, and the sight is, not one that should desire to see freouently.-H Seton- Karr, in the Royal Magazine.