The Portland daily press., 1900-02-10
LION HUNTING In SOMALI-
LAND.
How . Lone Hunter Entered a Thtcket
and shot a Lion Between. the Eyes.
marion Wright In outins.)

marion Wright In Outing.)
II is Q very pretty sight to see the
Somalis traokine-they work for FALL the
world like pack Of hounds Keeping
pretty close together, they go along Mt a
slow trot until the trail Is lost; then they
spread out In different directions; some
one who hnds 10 conveys the fsot to the
others BY swapping his fingers; they all
close mp, and on they 60. perfect silence
being maintained the whole time. We
retrsoed our way almost In the identical
line that we had come. and In short
time neared the place where We had first
jumped the lion.
I now dismounted and left my pony In
charge Of the syoe. ss the lion seemed SO
partial. to this particular grove. 1t was
quite likely that he would stop somewhere
on the outskirts. His track, however. led
up through some Of the densest parts OF
the underground, and as IL was growing
lats our Inst remaining chance was 10 try
and sight him somewhere among IL.
Leaving all the mon outside except one
shikari whom took to do the tracking
and also to help sss the beast II he was
about. we pushed our way through the
bushes az best we might. now crawling
under them on our hands and knees, now
plunRing into their depths and getting
our hands ami fscss scratched unmeroi-
fully, until at length we lost ell signs
OF the trail aud didn't know which way
to turn. just then l felt sharp clutch
on my arm, and my shikari whispered
excitedly "Me see him." at the same time
pointing to a spot some % yards away.
followed the direction he was pointing,
but for the life Of me could see nothing.
iPoint with the rifie," told him and
locking over the lsights. saw pair OF
eyes rs big as sauoers peering at US from
under the bushes.
As soon as the lion found his presence
was known, he showed bis dissatisfaction
BY dislay ing two rows Of shining ivories
In noiselsss snarl. My shikari was all
this time twitohing my sleeve and wills:
pering, "Shoot, shoot; why no shootf"
told him to shut mp, and, walking
slowly toward the brute with rifle In
readiness to shoot quickly In csss he
should spring, got within 10 yards OF
him. Even then 1t was difficult to take
a satisfactory aim. So dark was IL be-
meath the bush that could see nothing
of the lion except the hicksring light OF
friend at such close quarters Several
times put my riti, confidently to my
shoulder and had to take IL down
A sudden throwing up Of his head
gave me to desired opportunity, and
tired Just between the two great eyes,
pumped another cartridge into the tarrel,
fired again, and then waited for the re-
suit. Apparently 1t was dsad lion, for
We heard no sound. and on looking into
the bush found beautiful fuli-grown
lion with a neat little bullet hole Just
over his right eye. / found on examine
tiou that my second shot had not touched
him.
The rest of the men Joined US almost
Immediately on hearing the shot. They
dragged the lion into the open and began
what is called "the lion Dance" to the
acoompaniment OF soft, low chant. 1t
was a very picturesque sight, the dead
monarch Of the jungle forming the oenter
Of the group, and the half-raked men.
with the red glow Of setting sun reflect
ed on their giistsning skins. / enjoyed
1t almost "a much as themselves. When
they had finished dancing. the work of
skinning DOM menoed, which they ac-
complishsd in an extraordinary short space
Of time. The skin and head ware tied
behind the saddle on the pony. mount
ed. and We started tor camp, leaving the
oarosss OF the lion to Be buried In the
stnm acbs of the hyenas ana vultures-
the last resting place Of every creature
which dies In the opon.