Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1901-08-31

d, WHICH tnS guide cried quickly. Ma
dabhar, sahib' bara kahid janwar"
(lIave care. sir, 4 very dangerous
animaD | turncd to upbraid them for
their cowardicc in permitting the lion
to take one of our pack animal, before
their very eyes, but remembering that
the Somal has All inherent fear OF the
lion thought better OF it and returned
to my tent. resolving to square accounts
with the maraudcr on the morrow il he
could be found.
ing morning. and, rubbing my eyes
sleepily. found the darkness and the lion
had faded away together while the
wadi was alive with the notes of birds
and wild fowl. After a hasty breakfast
| filled my jacket pocket with cartridges
and, accompanied by TIE Somal guide,
Juno (wlio was an unusually expert
trackcr and huntcr). started on the
spoor of the lion. At the end Of mile
we came upon the lialf-eater carcass of
the donkey. lying at the edge of small
thicket. A little careful accommodating
convinced us the lion was not in the I'M
mediate ncighborhood. and after little
we found his trail. leading away from
the tlicket 1t had rained lightly dur
ing the early morning. and we found it
exceedingly difficult to follow the spoor
over the sand. which was covered with
a thin growth Of grass. When we had
followed it for mile or more. it finally
led toward large tlicket. some 200 or
more yards in diameter. which was sur.
rounded with margin Of tall, dry
jungle grass.
Lion there. sure sahib" whispered
the Sonal. who had been following the
(to mel obl,eratcd spoor with all the
caution and skill Of bloodhound. "One
of us mist go to the other side. and the
other go on from the front. so he will
not pass Though"
"lou may go around" / replied. and
after examining my rifle to make sure
it was in perfect order, cautiously ap-
preached the ,hicket.
could at first see no sign of the
lion, and was about to call TO the Sonal,
when I suddenly made out the backs Of
two large yellow animals. nearly hidden
i'll the tall grass. and moment later
discovered there were two cubs with
them. They wrc evidently disturbed.
but were gazing in the direction taken
by the Sonial. not apparently having no.
ticed me. A moment later fine lion
sprang out in the open. and. seeing me.
less than fifty PAGES distant. gave low
growl and disappeared into the thick
brush. The other. loness, stood look
ing about, evidently reluctant to leave
her cubs. She was watching ne closely.
giving ME All occasional side view OF
her teeth as she emitted kind OF whin-
in growl.
A lions yellow eyes are sinzularly
impressive. especially ii they happen to
be watching you. some fifty yards dis
tant, with only the open. level ground
between. They incline one to discretion.
and it was with the utmost caution I
approached nearer in order to get with.
in shooting distance, her eyes following
my every move as l did so. and watch.
ing intently on my part for the first sign
Of coming charge. When I had ar.
rived to within perhaps twenty yards,
she turned in the direction OF the thick.
ct. giving me an excellent view Of her
side, and aiming at the point of her
shoulder, l pressed the trigger. With q
loud roar she sprang into the air and
seemed to fairly fly back through her
lair. ! quickly threw in another cart.
ridge and fired at her side just as she
disappeared into the thicket, and a sec.
ond later heard the roar of the Somal's
elephant gun on the opposite side. fol-
lowed by the roars of lion. Hasten.
ing around | came oil the scene just in
time to see the old fellow on one knee,
in the act OF discharging his second bar
rel into the very mouth OF the lion
which was charging straight for him.
AS he fired he sprang quickly to one
side. while the beast turned a complete
somcrsault, but was on its feet in an in
slant and stood wavcring evidently too
sick to attempt another charge. was
about to fire when it fell over on it,
side. and after several attempts to regain
its feet, dropped back--dead. After
making sure it was done for, we re-.
traced our steps to the opposite side OF
the thicket and cautiously approached
the place where the lioncss had disap.
peared. We had not proceeded far when
we came upon her, lying across small
pool OF water formed by feeble spring
breathing her life ont, so nearly dead
she was unable to rise at Our approach.
A ball between the eye and ear ended
her agony. and for time stood. los,
in admiration of her graceful proper.
tons, with the mighty muscles beneath,
the glossy skin, when my attention wa:
attracted to the Somal, who was trying
to capture the cubs. Although they
were very snlall-not much larger thar
kittens, in fact-there was much infan.
tile growing and scratching before he
finally succeeded in making them pris.
oners. When he had at last bundled
one under each arm we started TO,
camp, meeting several OF my men on tn,
way, who sent back to remove tn.
pelts from the lions. When we arrived
at camp | fastened the young lions to
the center-pole OF my tent, intending to
try to keep them alive on condensed
milk, OF which we had a supply. final
ly induced thin to drink this after d.
luting it with water and adding houl
made OF pounded rice grains. and the,
we're both in good health on my arriva
at Johannesburg month later. gave
| them to the wife OF tie manager of thu