davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1909-05-08

side, and It was evident that some
thing was attacking our donkeys. 1t
was pitch dark, and we fir' 1 several
shots in the direction OF the sound
before We discovered that the attack
ing beasts were hyenas. We did not
mind having a donkey killed instan-
taneously by a lion, but we had not
bargained for the poor beasts getting
mauled by hyenas, SO taking lamp
we went out to see what had nap
pened. My donkey had got off with
nasty bite in the hollow of the hind
leg above the hook, and we had him
taken into the camp at once. The
other was completely disembowelled
and must have been killed instantly.
We could not find any dead hyenas.
but We were pretty sure that on, or
two must nave been hit. Seeing that
if the lions did come to the dead don
key there would not Je much chance
of hitting them on SO dark a night,
we pulled the carcass right under the
skerm or fence round the camp, and,
to prevent hyenas dragging 1t away,
tied a rope to one of its legs. and
passing 1t over the fence, fastened it
to q heavy water barrel inside the
camp. We sat up for bit and got
a few shots at hyenas, and then we
went to bed. telling the sentry to keep
sharp lookout and to let US know II
lions came to the carcass.
Some time after I awoke to find
Abdullah bending over me. with my
rife In his hand. He was frightfully
excited, and all l could get out of him
was "Libah. sahib, liban!" c'Lion, sir.
lion!") Jumping up rushed out just
as my companion fired two shots into
the darkness. The first thing saw
when l got to where he stood was that
great piece of the skerm round the
camp had disappeared, leaving a
broad gap. I could not for a moment
think what had happened. and then 1t
struck me that when The carcase had
been dragged away the water barrel
must have got hitched against the
inside of the interlaccd mimosa
boughs and the whole lot had gone to.
gether. It was frightfully dark out.
side. and we stood peering out for
some time without being able to dis
tinguish anything; but after . few
minutes We could hear something
tearing ut the flesh quite close BY
The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1909-05-08

two different methods of hunting lions.
One of them could hardly be called
a method at all, as 1t depended on
news brought in by natives as to
where a lion had actually been seen.
The second plan consisted Of tying
up a donkey for bait, and sitting up
to watch et night A much more in
teresting way Of hunting lions than
either of these and a very success
full one ir the native shikaries en-
ployed are any good, is this process
of tracking them. A lion lies up in
some cool, shady place for the day,
unless the sky is overcast and the
sun cannot get out, when he will oc-
casionally be found hunting at any
hour. If you can strike his spoor of
the night before there is very good
chance of following it up to where
the lion lies, should the ground be
suitable. There is no form of hunt
ing SO exciting as this. When the
spoor Is found there is generally
nothing to show if you have struck
it early or late in the lions wander
ings, so that 1t is quite a chance
whether 1t leads you for hours over all
sorts of country, or whether, after half
mile down on a sandy river bed or
path. it turns off into thick patch
of reeds or bush close by, where the
lion Is lying. 1t Is extraordinary how
the excitement grows as time goes on,
and still you keep the track some
times very slowly, where only now
and then part of footprint can be
seen on a soft place between the
stones, at other times as fast as you
can walk over soil where the track
is visible many yards ahead. And
when the spoor is lost and minute
after minute goes by while you cast
about vainly in every direction, how
wretched you are, and how quickly
your spirits rise again when low
whistle or swapping Of the fingers an
| nounces that one OF the trackers has
hit 1t OF further on.
At last certain signs show that you
are getting near the end; the trackers
take OF their sandals and tuck up
their loin-cloths under their belts, lest
a corner Tapping in the wind should
scare the lion. For the first time you
take your rife from the native who
has had charge Of 1t. and. with your
head shikari carrying q second rife
The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1909-05-08
Reading the Lion Tracks.

Abdullah still insisted that there
had been lions round the camp. and
little later we found the spoor OF
one big lion by the body of the half
eaten hyena. The ground was very
stony and there were 10 other tracks
to be seen, but one lion could hardly
have dragged the donkey and heavy
barrel away so quickly. so there were
probably more. The other hunters
had got hold of a man at the village
who said he knew where the lions
always lay, SO they went with aim.
Soon after they left. Abdullah, who
had been hunting about, came and
told me that he had picked p the
track of one non on soft ground lit
tie way from camp. and that we ought
The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1909-05-08

point one could easily command the
whole Of 1t. The lion was almost Ger
tain to break out of one of the sides
towards the bush on the banks OF the
river-bed, in which case l should get
an easy broadside shot. II we fol-
lowed the track into the place, the
noise we were sure to make would be
very likely to get the beast on MS
legs, and he would sneak out at one
side as we went in at the other, es-
pecially as the water had left lot OF
dead sticks along the edges, over
which it would be impossible to walk
quietly. Abdullah also said that from
the way he had wandered about this
lion must be very hungry. and would
sleep lightly. These considerations
decided us to drive. l posted myself
with Abdullah few yards out from
the point, and the other two men, hav-
ing collected some stones, began throw
ing them In at the far end. Abdullah
was right about this lion sleeping
lightly; for at the first stone there
was a growl and crash in the bushes
and then, for a minute or two. not
sound. The men started to walk down.
one on each side, shooting and throw
ing in stones. was watching them. and
wondering what had happened to the
lion, when there was faint cracking
just in front of us. and he appeared at
the point OF the island. Although we
were standing within few yards OF
him, and absolutely in the open, he
did not see us.
He was facing straight towards US,
and was so close that l did not like
to fire at him as, on receiving the bull
let, he would be very likely to plunge
in the direction he was going and be
into us; nor did I want him to come
any closer; SO, as he stepped down on
to the sand, moved my rife up
towards my shoulder to attract his at
tention. He saw the movement at
once, stopped dead, and turned his
head sharply towards us. For the
fraction of a second I thought he was
going to be startled into charging,
but he plunged on to the left with an
angry snarl at US over his shoulder.
As he passed pulled, and he skated
along on his stomach and fell down
little ledge In the sand. This slowed
him round, and he lay facing US.
spread-eagled on the sand. evidently
The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1909-05-08

hill again. but here. 700, We were dis
appointed, and grayitated back to
where we had first lost the spoor. We
knew that the lion had not gone
straight on. nor had he turned back;
the ridge and then crossed into other
stony hills where is was hopeless to
try to track him.
Abdullah, who is never defeated.
said there was big river-bed further
on in the direction in which the lion
was going. 1t seemed very slender
chance. as he might have turned on
anywhere in between, but 1t was the
only one, SO OFF we went. We were
evidently in luck that day, for we had
only gone about a quarter Of mile
when we struck the spoor. The lion
seemed now to have made up his
mind as to his direction, for he kept
on straight down the middle OF the
river-bed. The sun had come out from
behind the clouds, and in places the
sand was very deep, so that we were
not sorry when at last the track led
into a little island Of bush in the
great fiat sand. There was no doubt
the lion was at home, for on casting
round no sign was perceptible OF a
track coming out. The island raised
a little above the river-bed, was
formed of a mass OF thick-tangled
bush and creepers clustered round a
few big trees. The water coming down
the rive- after heavy rain had washel
it roughly into the form of triangle,
the apex of which pointed up the
river From this point the sides
widened out to the other end. which
was about thirty yards broad, the
whole length being somewhat under
a hundred yards.
The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1909-05-08

l shot, but so badly that l wasted
seven bullets at different ranges
without touching her. The first six
did not seem to annoy her at all. but
the last hit the ground just under her
teeth, and either the bullet SO close,
frightened her or a stone hit her, for
flourish OF her tail and, putting on the
pace. in minute or two ran clean
away from us. l was terribly disap-
pointed and annoyed with myself, and
1 thought of course. that everything
was over for the day after all this
shooting; but Abdullah, who was al
most weeping. hardly gave me time
to get my wind a little before he
rushed me back again. AS we ran
round the place where We had first
seen the lioness. fine lion appeared
walking slowly out of another thicket
towards us. AS shot, he turned
and plunged thorugh an opening in the
bushes to our right. We ran round an
outstanding bush to head him II he
broke out. and met lion facing US. Just
as l fired l heard moan to the right,
so l was sure it was not the same lion.
This one staggered away at the shot
and fell stone dead close by.
Death of the Jungle Lord.
Abdullah called up jana and the
pony boy, and they soon had the hide
off and tied on the pony. l thought
all the time that Abdullah knew all
about the other one. but as he seemed
to be going right home, l asked him II
we had not better go and look for 1t,
and he replied tnat it was the same
lion all the time, and that l had
missed it the first shot. l did not feel
quite sure about it myself. but the
moan in the bushes could only have
come from a wounded beast, so told
him we had better go and look any
way. He evidently thought 1t was
waste of time, but when we got back
to where the lion had been hit we
soon found some blood. and going
quietly down a little path between the
"irgin" bushes we came round cor
ner almost on top of the lion. He was
stone dead. l was very pleased at
scoring off Abdullah, as he mad shown
such evident disgust at my shooting.
We met one Of our party on our way
back to camp. and told him he might
run across the lioness II he followed
our track back to the place We had
come from. An hour after we got
back to camp he came galloping up.
having seen two ions. curiously
enough both males, and had shot one
with a better name than either OF
mine.
have at another time described
The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1909-05-08

Agitation regarding the pay OF
French military officers has had some
effect, for the minister OF war has
asked for an extraordinary credit OF
100000 to supplement the pay Of the
officers, which has not been increased
since 1870 In that time nearly every
grade of state official has had his sti-
pend raised, but the sub-lieutenant has
had to make both ends meet as best
he could with six francs day ~
the lieutenant with eight.
The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1909-05-08
By Lord DeIamere

Foremost among the great hunt
ing authorities of the English speak
ing world is Lord Delamere. He is
credited nth being the heariest kill
er in the party which bagged the
record number of african lions some
few years ago. In East Central At
rica his prowess is familiar to erery
native. Not long ago locality beset
wtth lions sent delegation four
hundred miles to call on Lord Dela-
mere to ask him to come and wipe
out the destroyers of their cattle. In
this article he uiuidly contrasts the
theory and practice of lion hunting
IN the region which Er-Prestdent
Roosevelt uiU tnrdde.
The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1909-05-08

Two Of my men got badly mauled by
lion. SO our camp had to stop where
1t was till they could be moved. After
q time one of them was able to walk
about with his arm in sling. and the
(her was getting on we'll, SO one night
| decided to leave the big camp next
dag and go with two or three camels
to some villages only days march
away. Early the next morning Ma
homed Moor, the headman. started
with the camels I stopped behind to
get some breakfast. Just as we were
going to follow, a camelman. who had
gone up the river-bed close by to get
some water, came running back to say
that a lion had been down to drink
at one of the shallow sand wells In the
aight. l started at once with Abdul
iah and two other trackers, telling my
pony-boy to follow on as soon as he
could get the pony saddled. When
tracking, I have always found it the
best plan to have the pony led some
distance behind. The boy ought to
have no difficulty in following the
tracks of two or three men and
lion. and II the pony is kept close
up, 1t is sure to stamp or blow its
uose at the critical moment.
When we got to the well there was
the spoor plain enough in the sand.
but rather blurred by some rain which
had fallen at daybreak. This made
the tracking little difficult after we
left the river-bed, but when we had
followed it slowly for scme distance,
we came to a place where the lion mad
lain down uEder thick bush, eVl-
IDENTIFY to shelter from the rain, as tLe
spoor after this was quiet distinct on
the top of the damp ground. Ihls
made us think we were In for a short
lack, for it must have been Ight
when the lion went on again from
hNe. and lions generally lie up short
ly after the sun rises; but this day
proved an exception. be 7aLse II was
cloudy and cool through the forenoon.
Trailing the King of Beasts.
The spoor now led us along a sandy
path, where we could follow 1t as fast
as we could walk. When 1t turned on
into the bush we quite expected to see
the lion at any moment; but not DIT
Of it-he wandered about through
endless clumps OF mimosa a. "irgin'
bushes. as If he did not mean to lie
up at all.
The track at last ed US down
little sandy watercourse. which 1t fol-
lowed for some distance. Up to this
time we had had no real difficulty
in making 1t out. but now came our
azt serious check. The nullah turned
OF along the side of stony ridge,
and. instead of going along 1t, the
lion had turned up the hill. We had
got the general direction tn" the lion
had been going in, but this was no
GOOD to US, as on casting forward in
the same line to the bottom OF the
other side of the ridge where tt ere
was some sandy ground, we could find
no sign of his having passed In that
direction. We spent some time hunt
ing about, growing less hopeful as
time went on. A man following
trail by sight certainly has an enor-
nous advantage over hound hunting
It by nose, because time is OF no
particular object to him. and every
direction can be tried In turn. After
making out cast forward we went
back to the little water-course, and
foltyved that down for some distance.
hazjg that the lion had turned down
The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1909-05-08

HE best piece OF
lion tracking l ever
saw lasted five full
hours and Is SO
memorable in sew
eral respects that l
purpose to use it as
an introduction to
that general method
of lion hunting.
The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1909-05-08
Hospitable.

She-And did you enjoy your ~
rican trip, major? How do you like
the savages?
He-Oh. they were extremely kind
hearted! They wanted to keep ne
there for dinner.
The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1909-05-08
Perils of the Man Eater.

My first experience in tracking lions
was early in 1892, and the night be-
fore was rather an exciting one. After
hunting elephants unsuccessfully for
about a month, we were on our way
south. when We arrived one day at
some villages where the natives had
been very much bothered by five lions
which were said to be still In the
neighborhood. A girl had been killed
two days before. and an enormous
amount Of damage had teen done
among the sheep and cattle. The first
day we camped there two Of our party
had shooting Zerebas made at the viii
aage to which the lions generally
came, and just before sunset they
went OF there.
tied up our two donkeys just out
side the camp. on the chance that the
lions might come and look us up. Just
after dark we were having dinner in
the tent when there was scufile out
The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1909-05-08
Driving the Lion to Bay.

The shape made 1t I easy place to
drive, for little way out from the
The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1909-05-08
Battling Ways Of the Jungle Folk.

Rather curious condolences are
sometimes brought to light by spoor.
Not very long after the date of the
story just related. one of our party
went to a place where two lions had
been killing regularly. and sat up tive
nights for them with donkey as bait
The lions must have left the district
for a day or two while he was there.
as there were no fresh tracks to bo
| found anywhere about. The day after
he came back to camp | happened to
| ride out in that direction. Soon after
we started we came on the spoor OF
| two lions, which led us along a path
till we came to the shooting zereba-
| The night after he had left. the lions
had walked over the very spot where
his donkey had been tied up In the
| middle of the path.
A little later. again. l happened TO
be at a place where he had camped
| few days before. A lion roared near
my camp several times in the night.
| and next morning | heard he had
| taken a sheep from q village close by.
We picked up his spoor in a river.
bed near the camp. and after follow.
| ing 1t for some distance came to some
wells. The lion had drunk twice, and
| between the drinks had laid down
| under the fence of a shooting zereba,
which had been made to watch tho
| water. After drinking the second
| time he had gone away.
Now and then when tracking you
| come across places where lions have
| killed, and if it is on sand or bare
soil, you can tell everything that has
| happened almost as well as if you
had seen 1t. We were camped once
| on the edge of river-bed and thick
covert ran right down to the back Of
the camp. One night there was
tremendous scunling in these bushes.
so in the morning l went out to see
what had been going on. and found
that two lions had been chasing q
warthog, which had just saved its
| bacon by getting underground. It
must have been a very near thing,
as the lions had ploughed great fur
rows in the sand at the mouth of the
hole, showing they had pulled up pref
ty sharp. Warthogs generally go to
ground when pursued, and as there Is
no second opening to the burrows. and
presumably no chamber at the end
where they can turn, they always go
in backwards. This has actually been
seen by sportsmen who have been
riding after them with spear.
should think this pig can hardly have
had the time to do this. Perhaps he
got jammed in head first, as he re-
fused to be smoked out when we tried
| it.
BY permission OF Longmans. Green D
Co., New York.
| Copyright, 1909, by Benz. B. Hampton.)
The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1909-05-08

quite unable to move. All the life in
him seemed concentrated in his eyes.
which glared at us furiously. Another
shot put him out Of his misery. The
first shot. q very bad one. had grazed
the spine just in front of the withers;
another quarter of an inch higher and
it would have missed alto ;o,,er.
This lion was quite maneless. ex-
cept for few long hairs on each side
of the neck. and his teeth were worn
down quite short, SO he was evidently
very old. He was in very good condi-
ton, Notwithstanding, but his stomach
was quite empty, which accounted for
his going SO far before lying up. We
had to stop at the main camp for the
night when we got there, and did not
follow up our camels till the next day.
have described this track rather at
length because 1t is a good example of
many similar days.
The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1909-05-08

steal forward until the lion is sighted
or ringed in a small clump OF bush.
Then, when all Is over, and the skin
Is being taken OF, how pleasant It IL
to sit In the shade. listening to the
excited talk OF the natives. and let
ting your nerves quiet down again
after the hopes and fears of the morn
ing. You ride home to camp with the
lion skin behind your saddle. while
one of your men after another gives
his version of the mornings proceed
ings in hunting song. On the other
hand, when you get shot, and miss
after q long and difficult track, 1t
seems as II any number of lions killed
in the future will never make up for
the loss of this one, which Is always
the biggest lion, carrying the finest
name you have ever seen. The ride
home to camp is then silent one. an
no lion means no sheep for the men,
and they are correspondingly down.
hearted.
The first thing to be done in track.
Ing is to find fresh spoor. Natives
will often bring news of spoor. but
unluckily the average villagers idea
of a fresh track is rather hazy. l
have several times gone long way
to find at the end track several days
old On one occasion two natives
arrived. saying there were fresh lion
tracks in a river-bed luckily not more
that half mile from camp, but when
we got there the fresh lion tracks
turned out to be the spoo. of two by.
enas. at least a week old.
The spoor of the large spotted
hyena is not unlike that of lioness
on certain ground but the difference
can easily be told. because hyena
has claws like a dog. whereas the re-
tractive claws of lion are always
sheathed and leave no L-.-rk. Tho best
way to find spoor is to look for 1t
yourself with good trackers. Should
there be any villages near camp
which lions have been in the nabit
of raiding 1t is very necessary to get
there as early as possible In the
morning. II once the large f1ocks of
sheep and goats and herds of camels
which have been shut u in the vii.
lagos all right are let out. the ground
all about is mass of ind st'nguish-
able footprints, and ever Tath from
the village is choked with long strings
of beasts going off to their feeding
grounds. Hitting off a lions spoor
under these circumstances Is almost
impossible, and the dust raised by the
herds is very disagreeable.
Besides villages, any well In the
neighborhood is good place to look
for spoor. II lion is about there
ought to be no difficulty in picking up
his spoor within day or two.