Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-11-19
LION HUNT IN zAMBESl
Unique Argument of body Of
Hunters and Death OF
Man-Bnter.

Far away on the confines Of the north
ernmost praEa Of Portuguese zambesia lies
a little village nesting among the trees at
the foot Of huge rock. Like other native
villages IN this part Of Africa II consists of
few round huts placed anyhow in a moro
or less imperfectly cleared space IN tho for
est and ls inhabited by a happy, careless
population.
One May morning Il was the scene Of
fearful tragedy, only too common in such
villages Four men had been hoeing in the
mealie patch along tho side Of a neighbor.
ing kloof when suddenly loness sprans
among them. seized one man by tho leg snd
endeavored to drag him away. Whatever
vices these natives may have, cowardice Is
not one. Two attacked the lionoss with
their hoes and were frightfully mauied in
the melee. A third took up his bow and
sent two arrows into her side.
Il was Of no avail. Tho iioness stuck 10
her quarry. and carried him or shrieking
with agony. which was mercifully ended
by his death, and the Mortified villagers car
ried tho survivors back % their homes and
applied such remedies TO their hurts as their
limited knowledge of medicine dictated The
hunting men went out to track the animal
TO her lair; tho others rapidly erected
stockade around the village, long experience
OF similar occurrences having taught Thorn
the futiiity of delay in this matter; the ap-
petite for human flesh, when once cultivated
IL never sppeased and the raids Of man
eating lion can only 10 ended by It's death.
II happe ned that the next day Eve white
mon found their way to the village. They
were new TO the country and not long out
from home, and all being keen .sportsmen
they naturally Jumped at the chance Of hay
/ f,,r- ~ "a
try OF such a pest as well. On their ar
rival they had lengthy indaba with the
head man and were promised the help OF the
entire male population Of the village as
heaters II they would go out and kill the
iioness. The bow and arrow champion OF
the previous day agreed to act as guide, and
daylight next morning saw lengthy pro
ceSsion following a fairly evident blood
spoor from the garden into the bush.
must now describe the men and their
armament as the latter IL probably unique
in the annals OF African lion shooting. A,
the leader, a short man. brave as a game
cock, was armed with double-barrelled
cordite $50 rifle which kicked like mule
and developed muzzle energy which would
bowl over an elephant, Around his middle
was suspended a Webley revolver loaded
with hollow pointed bullets, and from his
belt hung huge knife, watches, compasses,
notebook and other impedimenta recon
mended to sportsmen." Behind him stalked
doughty heather carrying a second rife
Lee-Metford carblne, loaded, at full cock,
and with the cutoff open. B, a larger edi-
ton OF A. was. with the exception Of the
knife, similarity armed and had also an at
tendant carrying a second rifle.
Next in order came X, wearing a white
helmet and armed with Lee-Metford rifle
and a revolver, a fiery man, keen as mus
tard and eager for the fray. followed
him, a man OF elephantine build, VIII Sc
rubieund countenAnce glowed with excite
ment D. armed similarly to the others,
took up the rear. Behind followed mixed
| crowd carrying shotguns, spears, axes
knobkeries, cameras on stands, luncheon
baskets and other impedimenta eagerly
| scanning the bush and ready to drop their
| loads and clear at the first sign OF danger.
The bow and arrow man in his capacity as
! guide led them 70 an open space in the
forest Near It's center was a clump Of
tail grass and on one side and to their rear
was a pool OF water. Into the grass the
blood spoor led. "Alipol" Che is in there)
Aaid the bow and arrow man. t.,
! A hurried consultation followed. 1t was
decided TO advance on the clump in column
and to deploy to the left in front of IT,
while the heaters from the other side drove
\ the brute out into a semicircle Of rifles
The maneuver began. With all rifles at full
cock. led the column toward the clump
Of grass, then turning to the left proceeded
10 take up his position B followed. Con-
spicuous by his white headgear, x an
preached too near the grass. There was a
sudden rustic, couple Of bounds, a mag
nincent spring and a huge lioness dashed
| AZ him.
He received her on the muzzle OF his
rife, holding It at the ready, as IL to repel
bayonet attack. Though It raked her
from stem to stern the bullet missed her
heart. simultaneously AS and BIS rifles
cracked, or rather doomed. Tho beast died
in midair as she made her spring She fell
on X, laying him out on the ground. She
never even twitehed a muscle. but ks
troubles were by no means over, A tro-
mendous fuslilade from all rifles except
those carried by and B was opened on
the corpse ss II lay on top OF X One boy
completely emptied his magazine before the
firing was stopped. X was extrioated.
shaken but not hurt and unscathed by