The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1907-04-25

to the popular mind, perhaps the
most familiar in the annals of Afri-
can sport. To middle aged and cid.
erly people he is still the lion hunter
par excellence. OF South Africa, the
very type and ensample OF those ad.
venturous Nimrods who have earned
their fame in the wilds of many coun-
tries.
The second son of Sir William
Gordon Cumming, of Altyre, Roua-
leyn Gordon Cumming was born In
1920. After brief period of soldier
ing In the Madras Cavalry, the Royal
Veteran Newfoundland Companies,
and the Cape Mounted Rifles, Gordon
Cumming, always passionate lover
of sport, became SO enamored of the
life of the hunting veldt that he re-
signed his commission in the Cape
Rifles and for the next seven years
devoted himself with irresistible ar
dor to the pursuit of South African
great game. Few hunters ever had
greater success. He slew every va
riety of quarry to be found between
the Cape and the Limpopo; many a
grim lion, scores of elephants and
rhinoceroses fell to his rife. His
athletic figure, clad as often as not
In a flannel shirt, Highland kilt and
a broad brimmed hat, with bare,
brawny arms and legs, and red beard,
became familiar at many a Boer out
span and homestead and in many a
native village. One of the most un-
conventional and picturesque heroes
of the good days in South Africa,
Gordon Cummings strong personal
ity and daring feats will remain al
ways enshrined in the annals OF
South African pioneers. The great
hunter made his first real appearance
in the veldt in 1843, when he shot
many head of game on the northern
plains of Cape Colony, between Coles
berg and the Orange River. Spring
bucks in tens of thousands, black
wilde-beest, quagga, blesbok and
gemsbok were here met with, and
many a fine trophy fell to his rifle.
Pursuing his way steadily north
ward, Cumming crossed the Orange
and enjoyed much sport, shooting
many varieties of game-hartebeest
brindled and white-tailed gnu, koo-
doc, Burchell's zebra and. roam ante
lope. Mighty herds of blesbok, al
most as innumerable as springbok,
were seen.
Gordon Cummings first adventure
with a lion happened in this wise, in
the Griqua country-now GriQualand
West. A lioness was found devour-
ing a blesbok. At first she sailed
out at her disturbers, but thinking
better of it, started at smart canter
for range of hills. Mounted on his
good horse, Colesberg, the Highland
er spurred briskly in chase, and, find
ing herself overhauled the lioness
subsided to trot and presently sat
up on her launches like a dog, with
her back to Cumming, appearing, as
he describes 1t, to say to herself,
"Does this fellow know who he is
coming after?" Now she sprang to
her feet, and, showing her teeth and
growing fiercely, made a short run
forward, making a loud rumbling
noise like thunder. Finding she could
not intimidate the hunter, she quietly
lay down. All this, it is to be re.
membered, happened upon a bare,
open plain. There was no escape,
one or the other must go down. The
Hottentots came up and Cumming
arranged that one of them, Klein
boy, was to hand him his spare rife
in case his first shot proved INSULT
cient. By this time the men were in
a precious stew; their faces assumed
a CHASTITY Daleness. The lioness ran
forward, and Il had" he says, "a
painful feeling that l coulL place nc
reliance on them. Now, then, for it
neck or nothing! She is within sixty
yards of us and keeps advancing
Turning the horses tail to her,
knelt on one side, and, taking g
steady aim at her breast, let fly. The
ball cracked loudly on her tawny hide
and crippled her in the shoulder
upon which she charged with an ap.
palling roar, and, in the twinkling
or an eye, was in the middle of us
At this moment Stofolus' Ga Hotten'
tot's) rife exploded in his hand, ant
Kleinboy, whom l had ordered Il
stand ready by me, danced about like
a duck in gale of wind; the lionesl
sprang upon Colesberg (the horse)
and fearfully lacerated his ribs ant
launches. / was cool ant
steady and did not feel In the least
nervous, having fortunately great
confidence in my own shooting. but
must confess that when the whole
affair was over felt it was yer!