The Monticellonian., 1906-04-12

ht Simbl. Being q keen sportsman after big game. and wishing to clear the station little of its unpleasant visitors, he, with his orderly, native, had made a platform of bars and cor rueated iron between the legs of tho tank, about eight feet from the ground ;9r lyins h ambush there, and shoot ing the lions as they approached the tank at night. The station had an Last Indian station master, with na tites under him. On the evening of August li there was a full moon. oe- easionally covered by passing clouds. Capt Ste9and took his station on the platform at G:3o P m, and the people CT the station soon after went 10 bed and the captain vas alone on the look out. Nothing occurred up b ten o'clock. except the usual proving ot jackaIs crossing and recrossing the scene in the moonlight. Then the watcher heard beast coming behind him, which proved to be a lionass. =Sng came up, paused under the platform, and the captain heard the tapping ot hatlNt IN-lttltiA ii4llIs llC lAlO GQ tO SGt q sight ef her, aRd mace noise in turning The Honess made side Jump Of about five yards and smelt the ground and listened She thus ex- l.. .sea Ser side. ard the captain fired ;v9 shots The Efsl hot hit her in the -eeb, the second in the heart She Sefhercd herself up like a horse about tc buck-as all beasts do when touched ia the hear; and then bolted blindl5 towards the rail, ran on it for about tsa yards, and fell between the rails.
 Knowing fror4 experience that taeHa is always | lien where there is a uouess, the captain waited on the platform A jaebal which had smelt tEe hood of the liouess ran up and aeHn on the track of it. Then the ea1aia heard the noise of two lions crashing through the high grass at a different point from where the lioness emerged One came out first and went up to the dead lioness and smelt the body and scratched at it. In a minute or two the other lion came out of the grass. Both together scratched tne body. when they realized that she was dead and both lay down for some time by the body. and then got up and reared, then lay down again. and again rose and reared, evidently performing kind Of Fri Il wake or funeral serv- ice with diree accompaniment over the deceased lioaess.
 As the clouds occasionally gathered over the moon. Capt. Steganl could not see the animals clear enough to shoot from tho platform under ths tank, s9 he waited for them to come towards hlm, as he expected them to cone and drink cut of the pool They continued alternately iyite down and getting uo and roaring for two hours jackal 8musirg himself by running I'D cnd do@r the traCN of the blood ot the doad ioness all the tine. At ! last fhe two lions came towards the 1 watcher, moying slowly and indistinct Ut first from the varying light of the 1 moon. They came on, one tenind the ether: the first lion held his head down. Tha captain fired at him and struck his iaw, and the luilet glanced of his shoulder. He tumbled over on his head. The captain fired a second shct and hit him just behind the heart The beast spun round like teetotum then rushed into the tall grass out oI sight. The second lion stood watching
 in sort of nae. then followed his
 comranion slowly into the bush. ex
 posing his right side. and the captain
 shot him through the heart. as ht
 knew. from his gathering himself III
 in the usual way, and then boltins 1 hlfndly ill he fell.