The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-02-11
LION HUNTING IN soMALILAND.
How Lone Hunter Entered "a
ThicIet and Shot "a Lion Between
the Eyes.

Marion Wright, in Outing.
It is very pretty sight to see the So
malls traclsing-they work for all the
world like q pack of hounds Keeping
pretty close together, they go along at
a slow trot until the trail is lost; then
they spread out In different directions:
some one who finds It conveys the fact
to the others by swapping his fingers: they
all close UP, and on they go, perfect ST.
lence being maintained the whole time.
We retraced our way almost in the Iden-
teal line that we had come, and In
short time neared the place where we had
first jumped the lion.
/ now dismounted and left my pony IN
charge Of the syce, as the lion seemed
so partial to this particular grove II was
quite likely that ne would stop some-
where on the outskirts. His track. how
ever, led us through some of the densest
parts of the underground, and as Il was
growing late our last remaining chance
was to try and sight him somewhere
among It.
Leaving oil the men outside except one
shlkarl, whom l took to do the tracking
and also to help see the beast II he was
about, we pushed out way through the
bushes as best we might, now crawling
under them on our hands and knees, now
plunging into their depths and getting our
hands and faces scratched numerically,
until at length we lost all signs of the
trail and didn't know which way to turn.
Just then ] felt sharp clutch on my
arm, and my shikari whispered excitedly,
"Me see him." at the some time pointing
to a spot some twenty-five yards away. L
followed the direction he was pointing,
but for the life of me could see nothing.
Point with the rifle l told him: and.
looking over the sights, saw a pair of
eyes as big as saucers peering at us from
under the bushes.
As soon as the lion found his presence
was known, he showed his dissatisfaction
by displaying two rows Of shining worries
in a noiseless snarl. My shigar was all
this time twitching my sleeve and wills
perng. ''shoot shoot why no shoot?'
told him TO shut up. and, walking slowly
toward the brute with rifle in readiness
to shoot quickly in case he should spring,
got within fifteen yards Of him. Even them
II was difficult to take satisfactory aim.
SO dark was II beneath the bush that
could see nothing of the lion except the
pickering light of his eyes, and / did not
wish to wound our friend at such c,ose
quarters. Several times / put my rifle
confidently to my shoulder and had to take
II down.
A sudden throwing up Of his head gave
me the desired opportunity, and | fired
Just between the great eyes, pumped
another cartridge into the barrel, fired
again and then waited for the reslb-
Apparently II was a dead lion. for we
heard no sound and on looking into the
bush found a beautiful full-grown lion
with neat little bullet hole just over
his right eye. / found on examination
that my second shot had not touched him.
The rest of the men Joined us almost
Immediately on hearing the shots. They
dragged the lion into the open and began
what is called the lion dance" TO the
accompaniment of a soft. low chant. IL
was o very picturesque sight, the dead
monarch of the jungle forming the center
of the group, and the half-naked men,
with the red glow of setting sun re-
f1ected on their glistening skins. l en-
ioyed IL almost as much as themselves.
When they had finished dancing. the work
of skinning commenced, which they ac-
compished in an extraordinary short
space of time The skin and head were
tied behind the saddle on the pony. I
mounted. and we started for camp, leaving
the carcass of the dion TO be buried In the
stomachs OF the hyeenas and vultures--the
last resting place OF every creature which
dies In the open.