The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1907-04-19

Inc name OF Gordon Cumming is,
10 the popular mind, perhaps the
most familiar in the annals OF Afri-
can sport. TO middle aged and eld-
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-
III g.
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 "A passionate lover
Of sport, became SO enamored of the
life OF the hunting yeldt that he re-
signed his commission in the Cane
Rifles and for the next seven years
devoted himself with irresistible ar
dor 10 the pursuit Of South African
great game. Few hunters ever had
greater success. lie slew every va
riety Of quarry to be found between
the Cape and the Limpopo; many
grim lion, scores of elephants and
rhinocerOses fell to his rife. His
athletic figure, clad as often as not
in flannel shirt, Highland kilt and
IA 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
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 1S43, 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 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-harteOeest,
brindled and white-tailed gnu, koo-
doc, Burchell's zebra and roam ante
lOpe. M.chty herds of blesbok, al
most as -sSNmerable as springbok,
were seen.
Gordon Cumming first adventure
with lion happened in this wise, in
the Griqua country-now Griqualand
West. A lioness was found devour-
ing a blesbok At frst she sailed
out at her disturbers, but thinking
better of it, started at a smart canter
for a range Of hills. Mounted on his
good hOrAe, Colesberg, the Highland
er spurred briskly in chase. and, find
ing herself oyerhauled the lioness
subsidized TO a trot and presently sat
up on her launches like a dog, with
her back to Cumming, appearing, as
he describes il, 10 say 10 herself,
Does this fellow know who he is
coming artcr?" Now she sprang to
her feet, and, showing her teeth and
growing fercely, made short run
forward, making a loud rumblins
noise like thunder. Finding she could
not intimidate the hunter, she quietly
lay. down. All this, it is 20 be re-
membered, happened upon a bare,
open plain. There was no escape.
one or the other must 60 down. The
Hottentots came up and Cumming
arranged that one OF them. Klein
boy, was TO hand him his spare rifle
i'm case his first shot proved INSULT
ciant by this time the men were i'm
a precious stew; their faces assumed
a CHASTITY 0aleness. The lionesS ran
forward, and Il had" he says. "a
painful feeling that | coulC lace no
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
steady aim at her breast let fly. The
ball cracked loudly on her tawny hide
and crippled her in the shoulder,
upou which she charged with an APP
palling roar. and, i'm the twinkling
Of an eye. was i'm the middle of us
At this moment Stofolus' Ca Hotten-
totS) rifle exploded in his hand, and
Kleinboy, whom ! had ordered TO
stand ready by me, danced about like
4 duck in a gale of wind; the lioness
SprGng upon Colesberg (the horse)
INA fearfully lacerated his ribs and
launches. ! was cool and
teady and did not feel i'm the least
Iervous, having fortunately great
confidence i'm my own shooting, but
must confess that when the whole
affair was over I felt it was a very