Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1903-07-02
For the :
Royal Zoo

| tCopyr1ght. 1903 by r. d. Marshal!1
We were in South Africa capturing
wild beasts for the Royal Geological
gardens Of London when we got word
that lion had entered a cattle kraal
about five miles away the night pre-
vious and killed and carried off
steer. We made for the spot at once
and began digging a pit.
When our pit was completed, it was
10 feet long. 6 feet wide and u feet
deep, and we cut and drew up lot
of heavy poles to place across it in
case we had to keep him prisoner for
two or three days.
| 1t was full moon that night, and
from the post in one of the huts 1
caught sight of the lion at about 9
o'clock. He came to within 200 feet of
the kraal and shifted the air as if his
suspicious had been aroused. He was
fine target for a rifle, but under the
circumstances he was safe from my
| fire. The cattle soon scented him and
| crowded to the other side of the pen,
| and the dogs of the village likewise
made a great fuss, but his lordship was
not in the least put out. 1 could not
| have seen him better by daylight.
| Aside from his name there We're black
| tufts on his legs, with u black plume
at the end of his tail, and 1 was de-
termined to make him my prize if it
took a year of waiting and planning.
The lion scented danger, however,
and sheered off. and we saw nothing
more from him that night On the
next night he showed up before we
We're on the lookout. The natives in
driving in the cattle had failed to
round up n yearling calf. and we heard
nothing from the estrny until the lion
| showed himself. Just at dusk he roar
| ed loudly. and rs the moon came up
we caught sight of him advancing upon
| the kraHl. The calf was on the other
side of the inclosure keeping very
| quiet, but as the lion stopped and
| roarcd again the. frightened animal be-
| gan running around the pen to seek
for the gate. AS he came around on
| our side, running blindly and never
seeing the lion. the latter crouched and
| sprang. AS he struck the calf he seized
| it by the neck and wrenchel it to right
| anu lcll, hliI-IlS II Oil llle lliSltul VI
five minutes he stood facing us with
his claws on the carcass, growing de-
fiance. Had man shown himself out
side of hut the lion would have
charged right at him. After awhile,
finding that his def was not accepted,
he picked up the calf and trotted away
as dog would with bone. Twice
before he reached the thicket he paused
to look back. but we had no thought
Of moving out of our shelter.
AS the calf was not in good condi-
ton. the natives believed the lion would
return next night, but he did not. Or
ders We're issued for the people to keep
very quiet during the day and for the
herd to be penned an hour earlier than
| usual.
!. On the second night after getting
the calf we heard the old fellow roar
ing good and strong as he left his lair,
and the head man said to me:
I'VE are sure of him this time.
Can't you tell by his roar that he is
hungry?"
1t is doubtful if the lion ever roars
| because of hunger. His roar may rath-
| er be considered Il challenge to his en-
| emies. The natives insisted, however,
| and they We're right, except that he
did not appear as soon as expected.
| He went off in the other direction, roar
ing at intervals and perhaps looking
| for change of diet.
| 1t was close on to II o'clock, and we
had not heard his voice for an hour
when 1 suddenly heard something
walking with a tread as heavy as that
| of an OK. thought it was an OK until
| I saw the lion himself The moon was
up, and he advanced upon the kraal
without even looking our way. His
bearing exhibited grim determination.
He walked straight to the spot where
he had leaped before, halted for an in
slant to see if the fence had been
! strengthened since his other visit and,
with an angry growl and switch Of
| his tail, he went over. The cattle bel
| lowed and rushed about but after
| couple of minutes the head man whis-
pered:
He certainly fell into the pit See!
The cattle have become more quiet.
Let us go at once"
At u signal we all rushed for the
| gate and opened it. We were not a
moment too soon, as the fellow was
springing up and catching the banks
with his paws. We hustled the poles
across the excavation, weighted them
down, and then everybody in the vii
lage began to sing and yell and dance.
l had promised the people keg Of
rum, ten pounds of powder and five
muskets in case of capture, and the re-
ward was big thing to them. The
cattle We're turned out, fires lighted,
and all spent the night in watching
and rejoicing.
The cage was made with double
bars, each as large as a mans arm.
and Of hard wood We had it ready
by night, but the lion was by no means
ready to enter it. Our only way was
to draw him up into it by main
| strength. For two whole days he de-