The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1909-11-04
THEODORE ROOSEVELT
TELLS or EXPERIENCES
Describes the Killing of a Tremen-
dous Lion Which Was About to
Charge Upon Him.

Theodore Roosevelt. writing in the
November number of Scribner's Maya
zine, gives his impressions and expert
ences on an East African ranch which
reminds him of early days on the plains
of the great west, and then plunges di-
rectly into an account of his first en-
counters with big African game.
The dangerous game of Africa" he
says, ARE the lion, buffalo. elephant,
rhinoceros and leopard. The hunter
who follows any of the animals always
does so at certain risk of life or limo,
risk which it is his business to
minimize by caution, good judgment
and straight shooting The leopard is
in point of pluck and ferocity more than
the equal of the other four, but his
small size always renders it likely that
he will merely maui, and not kill man.
MY friend, Carl Akely. of Chicago,
actually killed bare handed leopard
which sprang on him. He had already
wounded the beast twice, Gripping it in
one front and one hind paw, whereupon
it charged, followed him as he tried to
dodge the charge, and struck him full
as he turned. 1t bit him in one arm,
biting again and again as it worked up
the arm from the wrist to the elbow,
but Akely threw it, holding its throat
with the other hand and fiinging it's
body to one side. 1t luckily fell on its
side with its two wounded legs upper
most, 50 that it could not tear him. He
fell forward with it and crushed in lis
chest with his knees until he distinctly
felt one Of its ribs crack; this, said
Akely, was the first moment when he
felt he might conquer. Redoubling his
efforts, with knees and hands, he actual
ly choked and crushed the life out of it,
although his arm was badly bitten"
Mr.. Roosevelt devotes considerable
space to telling how he brought to bay
and killed lion. The description be-
gins at a point where he is considering
what he shall do if the lion charges and
cannot be stopped by well directed
shot. The writer continues:
Now, an elderly man, with a varied
past, which includes rheumatics, does
not vault lightly into the saddle as his
sons, for instance, can, and | had al
ready made up my mind that in event
Of the lions charging it would be wise
for me to trust to straight powder
rather than to try to scramble into the
saddle and get under way in time.
Il could still not see the lion when |
knelt, but he was standing up, looking
first at one group of horses and then at
the other, his tail lashing to and fro,
his head held low and his lips dropped
over his mouth in peculiar fashion,
while his harsh and savage growing
rolled thunderously oyer the plain.
Seeing Simba and me on foot, he
turned toward US, his tail lashing quick
er and quicker.
Resting my elbow on Simba bent
shoulder, | took steady aim and pressed
the trigger. The bullet went in be-
tween the neck and shoulder, and the
lion fell over on his side, one foreleg in
the air. He recovered in a moment
and stood up, evidently very sick, and
once more faced me, growing hoarsely.
Il think he was on the eve of charg-
ing. | fired at once, and this bullet
broke his back just behind the shoulders
and with the next killed HIM outright,
after we had gathered round him."