davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Sauk Centre herald., 1909-06-24

hunting such game as l was after had
great fascination. 1t was no use my
talking to Bob, and the other boy
would probably have fed at the first
sight of lion, so l started off myself
and tramped about until 1 was pretty
we'll exhausted, without finding any
further indications of 'Isilouan." Much
disgusted, l returned to camp, pleased
that l had not decided to inspan and
trek farther, without satisfying my
self that l had not passed lion by;
for meant moving as soon as ever the
moon was old enough to guide us at
all. That evening l whiled away the
time while daylight lasted in cleaning
the skull of the lioness and entering
UP my diary for the last week or so.
My clothing also sadly needed patch
ing up after the wait-a-bit thorns of the
day before. Then 1 turned in early
and was soon in the realm of dream
land, to be awakened by the unmistak-
able roar of lion.
had been right after all, but only
felt half pleased at being disturbed.
There was nothing for it but to mount
guard again, and another broken
the animals did not seem to approach
any nearer. BY the sound they were
evidently close by the water. AS soon
as the morning snack was over I set
the boys to work to get everything in
readiness for inspanning, and started
of once again, this time keeping close
along the bank of the river as the most
likely way of coming across the spoor
of the lion. still thought it prudent
to rest my horse. as when We got far
ther out into the veldt should find 1t
much more difficult to dispense with
him than where then was, with pretty
we'll of cover. A couple OF miles down
the river found where the lions had
been drinking. There were several Of
them-three, anyway, as I could dis
tinguish from the pug marks-two full
grown ones and q cub, or cubs.
This discovery caused me to reflect
a bit as to the wisdom Of proceeding
single-handed. However, l must either
give up the idea of the hunt altogether,
or tackle them myself; for I had no
confidence In the boys at such work,
and I would much rather be without
them than with them. Yet felt it was
q risky undertaking and recollections
of a previous encounter in which had
been knocked senseless by lion in .
death charge fitted through my brain.
II had only had dog should not
have thought anything Of it. but my
doubts were speedily dismissed and I
stepped briskly forward. A lion dies
Q lot easier than grizzly bear or
jaguar, as I had proved, and even
deer with q bullet through its heart
The Sauk Centre herald., 1909-06-24

About the second hour OF darkness
the cattle in the village became very
restless. The wind was from the
south and as the half full moon was so
bright that any skulking animal near
the village would have been noticed,
Drayton and agreed that the lion was
In little cope of rocks about a half
mile up the wind. We had not had
time before dark to examine any of
the old spoor and knowing merely
that there was at least a lioness with
cubs among the lot, we set out in.
stead of waiting until they approached
the stream. Drayton carried a special
$3.50 Winchester and 1 Parker ten.
gauge, which had loaded with special
shells Of dense powder and buckshot
set in wax. This is trick learned
shooting grizzlies. The effectiveness
at short range, and the certainty in
the darkness are very desirable. With
an absolutely reliable arm and a care
fully prepared shell one is compari-
lively safe.
When within so yards of the koppe
Q splendid animal form rose out of
the rocks and stood facing us his fore
paws on huge boulder. We were
hidden by the clumps of brush through
which we had been working and he
did not see us. Slowly and majestic
ally he surveyed the little plain then,
thrusting out his ponderous jaw ut
tered a roar that went laundering
down the reaches of moonlit silence.
1t was with difficulty that could re-
strain Drayton from risking a shot
from where we stood. The lion held
his pose and ducking under cover of
the brush and treading softly on the
sand we hurried forward to the first
ridge of rocks. To pass these, we
must attract his notice to a certainty,
so Drayton dropped on one knee while
with every nerve tingling and my eyes
and ears astrain to catch any sign of
his mate, who might be just beyond
the ridge for all we knew, l waited for
Drayton's shot. He chose the chest
and the crash of the Winchester went
echoing among the rocks. The mag
nificent beast leaped ten feet in the
air, then came rolling, tumbling, claw
ing down our side of the koppe di-
rectly toward us. His wounded roar
was answered from other directions.
There were two other lions on the
other side Of the koppe and one in
The Sauk Centre herald., 1909-06-24

less; but on such occasions as these it
does not do to hesitate long, so I took
aim at his shoulder, which presented a
fair mark, and as l fired he fell over
with a roar which was answered some
little way off, doubtless by his mate.
l speedily got another cartridge in
and, as he lay writhing, ran down the
bank and up towards him. He re-
covered little as l got nearer, cover
ing him all the while, and made q
futile attempt to charge me. AS he
did so, gave him another shot in the
chest, dropping him, though he was
up again directly and glaring at me
viciously. Again his roars were an
swered, but l could see no signs Of
any other lions; in fact, / dared not
take my eyes more than an instant
off the one had in hand. l still kept
moving steadily up to him, and, hay
ing got as near as 1 thought advis-
able, just as he seemed about to make
another effort to come at me, l got q
third bullet into him, this time catch
ing him right in the ear and finishing
him. He was a fully-grown young
male, with pretty fair name, but
met with. I measured him by step
ping, after I had stretched him out,
and his length, from snout end to tip
of tail, was a little over ten feet.
had no time then to see farther to
him, but set about searching for the
other lions, which were still in the
underbrush adjoining. But though
l beat almost every yard. as thought,
of cover, could not come across
them, they lay so close. Had they
crossed the open, I could not very
well have missed seeing them, Is
there was quite a distance of bare
veldt all around the cover was hunt
ing through.
was just persuading myself that
they must have sneaked away, when
q cub, about the size of a Newfound-
land dog, jumped out of thick patch
pen, and believe she would have
and stood gazing steadily at me. I
did not dare to empty my barrel at 1t.
for felt that its mother was near
by. In minute or so another cub
followed the first and also took
good look at my doubtless unexpected
person: and whilst my ideas were
somewhat confused as to the really
best course to pursue, a fine old lioness
marched grandly out and stationed
herself beside her progeny; at the
same time fixing me In anything but q
pleasant manner with her penetrating
orbs of almost indescribable green.
Getting a Lioness with Fer Cubs.
don't think she meant charging,
however; one can tell intuitively pref
ty correctly when this Is going to hap
The Sauk Centre herald., 1909-06-24
On the Track of a Lioness.

The brush was so thick that it was
next to impossible to get through it,
and therefore, as it was clear around,
and there was no fear of making con-
f1agration, set fire to it as the best
apparent means of ousting our game.
Telling Bob, my Kafir driver, to keep
close behind me, l went q little fur
ther round the cover and was just in
time to see a lioness break away, but
so far off that did not fire. preferring
to let her go, in hopes of getting a
more favorable chance for a shot. BY
this time the blaze had got so powerful
that we, too, were glad to get away
from it.; lao degrees, or thereabouts,
was sufficient Of itself as a tempera-
ture. without additional warmth.
The ,lioness made straight for an
other bit of brush, whittier we went
after her, and, though the thorns were
quite thick enough, decided to follow
her in. My boy did not relish accom-
panying me, nor could exactly blame
him; for, though a fair hunter and
brave enough lad In ordinary, he did
not like lions, his father having been
killed and his brother badly mauled by
one. It was rather difficult keeping
her spoor, but after some trouble and
considerable wear and tear, espied
her lying on bare spot, watching me
intently. Her head was resting be-
tween her paws and, as quickly as pos
sible, fred between her eyes, and
could have sworn I planted the bullet
there, for she was not above thirty
PAGES from me. Turning to take my
spare carbine from Bob, found that
he had vanished. But the lioness never
stirred, and was huIriedly reloading
when she suddenly jumped up and
dashed further into the thicket.
Unparliamentary language relieves
the feelings, II nothing more; SO. after
having mathematical poor Bob, once
The Sauk Centre herald., 1909-06-24

the rocks and brush not 20 yards from
US to the right. But we had not time
to think of them. The wounded lion
got to his feet with incredible energy
and quickness. AS he leaped, with
another roar I poured both barrels of
my Parker into his body. That was
enough. He landed in convulsions
and it was fortunate that he had
enough. There was a crash In the
brush to the right and bounding into
the moonlight giving terrible voice,
came his mate. She stopped as she
caught sight of us. Never have I
broken and loaded gun more quickly.
Drayton had pumped in another she'll
and without pausing to more than
swing on his knee and cover, he let
drive and missed, barely raking her
shoulder. She bit hastily at the wound
and then came for us like a thunder
bolt. I meant to pull both barrels.
but gav3 her the right. She wavered
a trife, but was on us before could
fire again. She knocked Drayton fiat
and his head, striking a rock, he lay
senseless, while her outstretched
talons tore his rifle from his hands
and tumbled it gathering among the
bushes. Her momentum carried her
over him and her body merely
brushed me. I leaped one pace to the
right and swinging my piece without
even bringing it to, shoulder drove the
bucks into her throat. She was in
the act of whirling to rush upon Dray-
ton, but now dropped in her dDal
agony rolling over and over on him.
one blind blow from her paws tearing
half the clothes from his body but
leaving him unhurt. I did not know
then but that she had crushed his
skull as she leaped. but ,ragging him
aside / saw that he was merely
stunned and was now coming around.
BY permission of Longmans, Green q
Co., New York.
Copyright. 1S0s. by Bent. B. Hampton.)
The Sauk Centre herald., 1909-06-24

pen, and I believe she would have
gone quietly away and taken her cubs
with her, II had not interfered. The
tenets ventilated by q certain ex-
plorer of prominence, who evidently
considers 1t a heinous crime to kill
lions and similar gentle, useful crea-
lures, had not then come to my knowl
edge, not that they would have indu-
enced me bit, If such had been the
case, and her rich, tawny. skin was
sufficient temptation for me; SO /.
aimed at her throat, which presents q
much easier and safer mark than that
of the lion, with its matted and tan
gled name, sufficient at times to offer
considerable impediment to a bullet.
She must have raised her head as I
fired, for my ball passed harmlessly
by; fortunately, too, for me, missing
the youngster Immediately behind her,
or a pretty hullabaloo might have
been the result. All the same, was
in no enviable position, with my car
bine empty, in close proximity to these
three cats. I followed the old adage
of keeping my eye intently fixed on
that of the lioness; whether that had
anything to do with her refraining
from charging will not pretend to
say, but she did remain still whilst l
mechanically reloaded and as ne
chanically brought up my weapon.
Taking more careful aim this time, I
potted her right in her white cravat,
sending her in somersault over the
young ones to their no little astonish-
ment, and, what with the roaring of
the lioness and the row made by the
cubs, there was quite Bedlam. Then,
appearing to realize their danger, they
The Sauk Centre herald., 1909-06-24

adventurer of the type Of Tanner.
nearly came to an end.
We frequently left the river and
navigable tributaries which we were
vsrking out slowly, to explore the ra-
vines for high bars. never taking with
us hore than four bearers, though at
times we were absent from the main
party outfit for a fortnight, knowing
it was entirely safe In the care OF
thin cross-eyed Arabian ex-chasseur
who was born voyageur with tinge
of Napoleon and the Devil and Uncle
Tom in him. He was true as salt
Arabian and the blood brother Senegal
negro are two types of dark skinned
men with whom l would as soon face
danger and difficulty as with any
white men that live.
One night we were about to make
CAMP when we encountered a party of
women and girls bearing water Jars
and they told us Of village mile
further on. Before we reached the
village we were met by the chief and
his induanas who begged us to make
8rI6y WlIu Iucu aS ShOy "SAO SCif
DUSTY troubled with lions. Two OF the
chiefs horses and two of his wives
had been killed among the losses
which the village had suffered and
the three muskets in his army were Of
no avail especially as none Of the Of.
ficers in command could be induced
to get near enough to the bold beasts
to, risk shot. ......
Tie Nubian lion is different beast
from his South African and Asian
brother. He Is taller, gaunter, with
black in his name and certain philo
sophical calm about his desperate
deeds. There is nothing throaty
about his roar and 1t Is pure rumbling
thunder. He always reminds me Of
Kipling's "bluish silent beast that
came around q corner aud fell to
work"
The Sauk Centre herald., 1909-06-24

could make out the form of
lioness in the gloom, I concluded it
was not best to fire, as, in the event of
my only wounding her, she would have
had much in her favor should she have
attacked us in such darkness. 1 was
not sorry when day broke, for the oxen
and horses were very uneasy; but the
skerm was good, having been strength
ened a couple of days before, not that
lion, having once made up his mind
to attack, would be kept out by such
means. However, nothing occurred
further than the roaring and, after
hurried breakfast of coffee and giraffe
steak, l and Bob, one of the black boys,
took up the spoor of the lion, which
was plain enough about and around
the camp.
All we had left of the giraffe was
represented by few splinters of bones
which the hyenas had polished after
the lion had gorged himself For some
distance along the river bank the
country was pretty well wooded,
whilst away to the north stretched the
Kalahari, dotted here and there with
scant timber clumps, but otherwise a
vast sea Of sand. 1 did not take my
horse, as he was bit stiff from the
tumble of the day before; he had also
somewhat renewed his lameness, which
was scarcely to be wondered at, consid-
ering the country I had ben galoping
him over. The lion had made direct
for thick patch of thorns and had
evidently laid up there. had no dog.
My last had been so injured by Koo-
eled him, that 1 had been compelled to
shoot him. This was greater loss to
me than can express, for good ter
rier is simply invaluable.
The Sauk Centre herald., 1909-06-24
Underground Passages.

Underground passages for pedestri-
ans are to be built at various points
beneath the Champs Elysees; Paris,
which the constant stream of motor
cars now renders impossible from
morning till evening. The congestion
of other Paris streets also has grown
to an alarming extent and all thor
oughfares round the opera are blocked
with the traffic for hours morning and
afternoon. II the Champs Elysees tun-
nels prove a success others will be ex-
cavated in the center of Paris and foot
passengers will in future cross not
over the streets, but under them. It
had been hoped to build the approach
es to the Champs Elysees underground
passages in inclined planes, down
which perambulators could have been
rolled easily. But this has been found
too costly and only staircases will be
provided.
The Sauk Centre herald., 1909-06-24

suddenly vanished into cover again,
rather to my relief. My lioness strug-
gled so violently that it was difficult
to finish her off, but at last she gave
me a chance to put her out of her
misery by bullet through her brain.
AS soon as she lay still l seated my
self upon her and waited for the reap
pearance of the cubs, but, although I
stayed until the sun had got very low,
l never saw anything more of either
of them. l therefore whipped off her
hide, and rolling it up returned to the
lion, and served him likewise, getting
through with the job before dusk. The
hyenas could now worry at the car
casses, though I hoped might find
the skulls in the morning. Making
my two skins into a bundle, though
an unwieldy one, carried it all right
back to the wagon.
By permission of Longmans, Green q
Co., New York.
Copyright, 1909. by Benz. B. Hampton.)
The Sauk Centre herald., 1909-06-24
Peat Gas a Cheap Fuel.

The United States government
through the geological survey ls en-
deavoring to work up interest In the
subject OF peat as fuel, and 1t In
asserted that gas made from peat COM
prises fuel that is cheaper than the
power of Niagara Falls. There are
between 1000 and 5000 square miles
Of peat in the western part Of New
York which is now regarded as worth
less. and 1t Is the object Of the govern
ment on1cials to make this and ether
similar lands productive.
The Sauk Centre herald., 1909-06-24

more plunged after the lioness, won.
dering how our next meeting would
come of. There was plenty of blood,
just where her head had lain, and also
enough to guide me easily on the
tracks she had taken. Indeed, before
I was aware of it, I was almost on top
Of her. Stepping steadily back-she
lay directly from mel drew another
bead between her ears at the base Of
her skull, and let fly. This time there
could be no doubt as to its being ef-
fective, for, as I stood, could see
where the bullet bored right into her
brain. The lioness never so much as
moved, so l stepped up and examined
her. My first bullet had struck her too
low beneath the eyes to reach her
brain. 1t had torn through the cartil-
age of the nose and down her throat,
momentarily stunning and so stupify-
ing her that her last rush was a ram
dom one; but she was dead, to all in
tents and purposes, and doubtless was
not in need of my second ball. Her
skin was simply of no value, and could
only have been an eyesore, so l did
not bother to take 1t off, only keeping
her skull, and returned to the wagon
to rate my needless driver soundly.
The Sauk Centre herald., 1909-06-24

: HAD had very little sleep
all night, owing to the
prowling around and roar
ing of lions, attracted by
the offal of a giraffe
which l had shot the pre-
vious afternoon, and had
had dragged bodily up to
the wagon. The night was,
however, so dark that /
could not get a view, and,
although / once thought I
The Sauk Centre herald., 1909-06-24

VT WOULD be absurd after nego-
r tiating the dangers of passage
of the Upper Nile out of season
and after traversing several hundreds
OF miles of country in the hands
of rebellious tribesmen, to come
to mortal end under the paws
of a Nubian lion. 1t would be
the irony of fate, but that is what
nearly happened to me some years
ago. With perils innumerable behind
Us the two white men of the party,
Ss5e, a gold-seeker the other a pure
The Sauk Centre herald., 1909-06-24
Tracking on High Ground.

The spoor led away towards some
higher ground, intertwined with tan
gled growth of creepers,. and which
looked just like the kind Of harbor my
game would be likely to take refuge
in. l even thought l could discern
some moving objects there. Anyway I
followed the spoor right to where I
had calculated I should find recent
traces of the lions if they had not left
the vicinity, and suddenly in the sun,
at full length among the rocky boul-
ders, came across one. AS I ap-
preached, he lazily raised his head and
looked at me, at the same time utter
ing a low growl, as If annoyed at my
intrusion. AS he did not seem in
clined to move further, and must have
descended and climbed the side of the
little kloof which intervened between
us before he could reach me, though
did not anticipate this, walked on
towards him, till l got to my side of
the ravine, about thirty PAGES from
him. He now seemed as if he had
thought that he had permitted me to
encroach far enough on to his domain,
and raised himself on his forequarters,
the tip of his tail twitching in a man.
ner which I knew meant mischief
should l wound him. If he moved
away might not get better chance,
though wished the distance had been
The Sauk Centre herald., 1909-06-24
Awakened by the Roar of a Lion.

My theory was that lioness would
probably not be altogether solitary, as
Is sometimes the case with animals of
the male sex. Acting on this hypoth-
esis, determined to cast around and
see if could not make out further
signs of lions. l did not need meat.
There was plenty for some time, and
the additional excitement attached to
The Sauk Centre herald., 1909-06-24
A
Nubian
Lion
Hunt
By Baron Heinrich Albert

4 Baron Heinrich Albert, the aus
hlan-SwiSs aduenturer, has hunted
game in every part of the world. He
has an estate (which prouides him
~ith an income of $4,000 per gear,
and for the past IS gears, that IS
since his majority, he has Travelled
oasr the globe facing dangerous AMI
mails and laying them lou. 1t IS not
often that man is found who has
hunted puma, grizzly, moose, lion,
tiger, elephant, wolf, rhinoceros,
hippopotamus, leopard, oceolot, etc.
In these especially aOritten papers he
has narrated for this series some of
his most stirring encounters in the
territory through which Er-Presi-
dent Roosevelt WW hunt.
The Sauk Centre herald., 1909-06-24
New zealand il Healthy.

New Zealand 70 Healthy.
New Zealand's population at the
close of last year was estimated at
100000, the death rate being onlA
0.67 Q thousand.
The Sauk Centre herald., 1909-06-24

will go farther before 1t succumbs. OF
the tiger cannot speak, but the
leopard and the jaguar, as also the
puma, or mountain lion, partake more
of the "cat" tenacity Of life than does
the lion of South Africa.
The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1909-07-23
Why the Old Woman Worries.

Il don't know what's to become o.
the Of man If they keep on votin' the
states dry" said the old lady. 1T
don't cost so much fer him to go 10
Chattynoogy. but as Tennessee will be
as dry as a bone in July, thatll take
him a step further an he jest can't
afford the money. OF course, he kin
blind-tiger II 10 Georgy. but it's no
longer safe fer him 10 do so, seem
that he he kin no more kiver up his
tracks. fer ever time he tries II they
kitch up with him an haul him up
before meetin', and he's gittin' too oil
now ter risk bein turned on the
church. fer Satan might ketch him on
the outside an sweep him off fore he
has a chance to git back ag'in. But
the States air dryin' up one another.
an ! kin see him buyin' a railroad
ticket as fur as Kalamazoo-an' ! be-
lieve that country would be dry fore
he hit itl"-Atlanta Constitution.