The Jennings daily record., 1902-07-25
Dan~ers Of Lion Hunting.

~ " .,
Dangers Of Lion Hunting.
IN "a Tale of Several Lions" Her
cules ID. Viloen, In the Era, says:
1Van Aardt came to me and suggested
a little lion stalking. Now, know
lions as we'll as he; deliberate hunting
for a lion who mourns a murdered
mate was a foolhardy proceeding. But
in the near neighborhood of the spot
where Madame Lioness had been killed
was one lion, with an earthquake voice,
whose rumblings fascinated the fiery
spirit of Van Aardt.
II am going" he said.
could not let him go alone, for we
had fought too often side by side. We
started off. my reckless cOmrade lay
ing out, in calmest confidence, the art
less plan he had of walking up to that
tumultuous hell of wrath incarnate.
and of blowing few holes in it with
his Mauser. AS we came nearer. the
roars ceased. The lion, weary with
his imprecations of the night. had gone
away from the scene of his bereave-
ment for rest and sleep. But we found
in the jungle's depths the footway he
had trod; in a sentry path of twenty
feet, he had stalked back and forth
for twelve long hours, calling aloud for
vengeance.
Kristmansen, who looked upon Van
Aardt as hot-headed madman for the
time, decided he would use the morn
ing for peaceful springbok hunt. and
took his Kaffir boy along. He went
In the direction opposite to ours. After
half an hours close tracking the Kaf-
fir, who had been in advance, appeared
at his elbow with an impish sudden
ness. and whispered word:
"Baas, lion"'
Kristmansen started ahead of him.
There. in a tiny clearing not thirty
yards away, the monarch stood, his
name quivering with the intensity of
his attention and his brilliant eyeballs
cleaning in the effort to penetrate the
single veil of cover that hid the hunter
from his view. The Kaftir had faith
in his master that was sublime.
'Shoot, Baas, shoot"
Kristmansen knew that death stood
waiting for him in the clearing beyond.
The chances We're all against q fatal
first shot The wounded lion would
tear him into shreds of mangled flesh
before he could have time to fly. Step
by step. his very breath pent up, he
made the slow retreat. The Kaffir,
fancying all his master need do was
fire single shot. accompanied him
with an expression of disdain. For ten
good minutes, Kristmansen paced
backwards; and then came swiftly to
the camp again upon the chance OF
making up party whose numbers
wonld mean safety in concerted at
tack. But the majority of us Were
away, and that lion, with all the
others among the spouseS Of FAIRIES
lioneSs, We're unmUlested from that da!
forth.
/ was in Pretoria a little later anC
saw sight that told me how wise
Kristmansen had been. The oldes
lion i,untcr of the Transvaal shook ms
by the hand-and used his left hant
for the greeting. The other arm hung
withered and helpless. at his side
Only half his face was there to speal
to me. The other half went into
lions nav a few months earlier. HI
was hunting springbok with his son
and carried an ancient muZZle loader
A dead shot. the old man deserted
buck not fifty feet away: and kneel
ing, fired. The crack of the rife wa
answered by the snarling roar of
wounded lion. The bullet, passin
through the buck. had struck tn
mighty beast as he was about I
spring. And it had no more tha
wounded him. He ieaped for tn
smoke, coming on in flying bound:
while my old friend fumbled Wildl
with his powder horn. He was to
slow. The bullet had not dropped int
the barrel before the lion was upo
him. One crunch Of his tremendou
jaws. and an arm was stripped to til
hone. Another. and the side of h
face had vanished. The cavernoI
throat above the PROSTATE man roare
once more, before the teeth shoul
clash together when the son. runnin
up, put his rifle barrel to the lion
side and drove half-ounce bull
through his heart
labithn Sanborn,s Ride.