The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-09-25
LIONS SHUN TIE WHITE MAN.
.ASHE ADVANCE IN AFRICA THEY
RETREAT.
story OF the Driving Of the King OF Beasts
Out OF the German scttleme nts-Terror
Man-Eating Lion inspires Among
the Natiyes-StOry OF q Lion Hunt.

congress nau an Interested group "ou"'
him the other day at the luncheon between
the sessions while he told stories OF pioneer
ing in Africa A question about lions
started food of "reminiscences that lasted
till the crowd scattered for the section
meetings.
"The lion will not live where there are
many white men, he said. "A large pro-
portion of the whites who go to Africa are
keen sportsmen, and the lion soon learns
to shun this variety Of the human race.
Twenty years ago there was not coast
settlement in tropical East Africa that was
not occasionally visited by lions. They
would swoop down on the cattle or goats
and now and then man-eater would create
the utmost terror and never leave tho
neighborhood where he had tasted hui
man flesh The only thing to do was to
organize a big hunt surround the Jungle
with hundreds of natives and leave no loop
hole of escape till the animal was slain.
when the Germans first went to East
Africa they never ventured into the streets
Of the coast towns after nightfall without
carrying revolver and rife. providing
lion was likely to be met anywhere in the
darkness.
II remember one night one OF our black
men was pounced upon by a lion In the
heart OF the settlement The unearthly
howl the man set up and the wild commo-
ton into which the town was instantly
thrown so frightened the king Of beasts
that he left his prey and skunk back into
the jungle. His claws had torn deep grooves
in the mans scalp but that was the only
damage done
Il suppose it Is at least ten years since
a lion has been known to visit one OF the
German settlements on the east coast.
There are plenty Of them in the interior,
but as the white stations multiply and the
natives in the service of the whites are
armed with guns, 1t In becoming very I'M
comfortable for beasts Of prey, and they are
disappearing from the neighborhood OF all
the stations.
@One day, toward evening, in 1890, I strolled
out Of Bagamoyo, the coast port opposite
Zanzibar, for a walk Of few miles In the
country. l carried only a light walking
stick.
-The sun was low in the west when I
started back for the settlement. ! soon
saw that a hundred steps or 80 behind me
little Bantu girl, perhaps 10 years old,
was following in my path, and about the
same distance behind her were two native
women. ~
THE night was fast closing in when
heard a shrek. Looking around the little
girl was nowhere to be seen, but noticed
rustic in the jungle grass of to one side.
The two women were screaming 'Simba'
Qion) at the top Of their voices.
-The girl was certainly doomed Being
unarmed could do nothing except to run
In ha fort which tho
Germans had planted at the inner edge Of
the town. Twilight lasts only few min
utes In that latitude, and it was pitch dark
by the time reached the fort.
"A force OF natives with white officers
was sent out to beat the jungle, but nothing
was found. sOf course, the torches and the
noise would brighten the animal away,
but it was thought that at least the remains
of his poor victim might be discovered.
I believe no trace of the little girl was ever
discovered but this was not strange in
such sea OF jungle
"This man-eating lion was killed few
days later. There is much nonsense In the
talk Of the courage with which the greatest
of African beasts of prey is endued. This
particular animal saw me pass and let me
20 unscathed because / was a full grown
man, but he pounced upon little girl be-
cause he knew he could make her an easy
victim.
THE lion disdains nothing in the way OF
animal food Perhaps antelopes are his
favorite, and he will wait hours for them
by the paths along which they travel to the
drinking places.
But he will take anything he can kill,
from mouse to an elephant; and some
times when game is scarce and the lion
becomes thin and ravenous. he will even
attack a man il he gets a good chance.
When he becomes a man-eater there is moth
ing to do for the safety Of the neighborhood
but to hunt him to the death.
-The man-eater comes and goes like a
ghost and / have never seen anything
more distressing than the panic into which
a man. eating lion throws native settle
ment. / remember one day we reached
native hamlet far on the road to Lake
Tanganyika and found everybody in the
greatest CONSERVATION.
"A lion had just run Off with half grown
bow, the fourth member OF the community
whom he had killed in fortnight, His
visits had been made at various times OF
the day and night and there was not mo-
ment's peace.
I'VE organized hunt and with our native
escort we were able to surround oon-
siderable tract of jungle where the animal
was believet\to be lurking. We beat the
bush for half day and found nothing.
We thought the ground had opened and
swallowed the animal up.
"In the heat OF midday. while we Eu-
ropeans were resting in the shade, we
heard volley of shots from beyond the
area W here we had been hunting, The
lion had come out Of the high grass and
was retreating along the valley OF Upanga
Creek, when our men caught sight OF him.
THE range was short, some OF the guns
were rapid firing, and it took only minute
to end his career One bullet broke his
backbone. and still he tried to sit up and
menace us with his paws but it was only
for an instant.
He was a large and aged brute. with a
ragged name and sides that bore long
scars that had evidently been made by
thorns He was anything but handsome
The best looking lions l ever saw are
the sleek and we'll fed fellows in the zooloe-
ical gardens. They know nothing OF the
stress OF life, but the lion in his native
Jungle has many troubles.
Il never saw more heartfelt jubilation
than that after the dead enemy had been
horne in triumph to the village. The people