Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1909-06-10
ROOSEVELT IN
AZ RIGA
Hunting the Lion
BY Frederick K. Toombs
oopyH,onr, 1900, az AMERICAN pRess ASSOCIATION
across something inside that was n
erick R.Toombs
MEE,caN pRes5 ASSOCIATION

tuS thTe6 guns ou my TlSnt, lNCluO-
ing my brother, dashed toward the
point indicated. Having two lions in
front Of me, remained quietly where
I was, beckoned to my left hand
neighbor, told him what I had seen
and arranged that he should advance
from the left while l went straight In
to the lions in front.
AT twenty yards distance it seemed
impossible that 50 large beast as a
lion could still be lying in so small a
bush without my seeing 1t. They
must. thought, have slipped away
unobserved. and was walking on.
almost carelessly, until within ten
yards Of the right hand bush, when
Flint suddenly seized my arm, point
Ing the rife he carried into the base
Of the bush and Kissed: See! Seel
The lion! Shoot him! Springr
"Once more must admit that I could
see nothing straiu my eyes as
would, / could distinguish nothing like
lion IN that bush. decided rather
recklessly, and perhaps from some
sense Of shame that black man
should be 80 superior in eyesight, to
fire. There was TO mistakipg the re-
fponse--a growl more savage than l
ever had heard In my life before.
nlso saw through the thick smoke the
electric corvulsion with which tho
beast pulled Itself together for
spring. The movement disclosed the
position of the head and shoulder, and
put the second bullet we'll in behind
the shoulder. The beast, still growl
Ing, but mortally sick. crawled out be-
vond. / now saw It was lioness.
Elni handed me the 40, and third
bullet. raking forward from the stern,
stretched her among the grass.
while rushing forward to examine
fine beast and IN the excitement Of the
moment utterly forgetting the second
lion In the other bush. now behind us.
was promptly reminded by shouts
and two rapidly fred shots IN that d.
rcction. Turning round. l was Just In
lime to see this beast, also lioness,
bound out toward me- a yellow streak.
from the thick covert. growing and
snarling. remember seeing her white
teeth as she commenced another growl
she was only twenty yards away
but ttat movement was her last. \
Paradox ball on the shoulder dropped
her from our sight.
while Elmi and / were thus occu-
pied we had heard several rifle shots
away on our right. 1t now transpired
that third lioness had also been Sc
cured by the guns who had gone OIL
In that direction. All three lionesses
were dragged out Of the covert by our
boys and laid in q row on the grass
outside, where a scene OF indescribG-
BILE excitement ensued. the niggers
dancing and jumping around the dead
beasts to an accompaniment of shrieks,
beating Of tomtoms and other fenr-
some Instruments, including biscuit
tins"
In the open the hunter continually
uses his powerful feldglasses in seek
Ing game. and. at times he discovers a
lion that may be approached by
means Of bush stalling-that Is, by
warily stealing close enough to him to-
the animal must not be disturbed, and
annoying difficulties arise. The shift
Ing winds and numerous small fowl
and animals that start up noisily from
underfoot serve to warn the intended
prey BY getting 80 that the WING
blows from the lion toward the hunter.
or nearly so. the animal does not detect
the hunters scent, but the variable
African breezcs frequently put the
hunter to windward. and the lion
quickly discovers his enemy's pres
ence. Bush stalking Is usually en-
ployed In antelope hunting.
Deep ravines are q faVorite shelter
Of lions during the rainy seasons Out
lying rock koppies around the noun
tains Of Uganda arc during these sea
sons also popular retreats. The lions
lie outside their caves by Gay on
shelves Of rock and have two outside
beds, SO that when the overpowerine
midday sun makes one bed too hot
they change to the other, so chosen as
to be more shaded Mt that period. In
the dry seaaon they And enough shell
ter in the grass and reed beds or
among the heavy canes. When the
lions are out of their rocky dlurnal
lairs and in the open veidt pursuit Of
them Is greatly assisted by having
capable mounts on hnnd-mounts the
tsetse fly has overlooked, Lions, And.
ing that they cannot catch or escape
from horsenen In the. open, will
crouch, awaiting attack. and thus af-
ford target.
Veteran hunters have learned TO
watch other animals during lion hunts
for indications of the latter's presence.
For instance. If herd of grazing an
telopes Is divided. the divisions feeding
on both sides Of an open stretch Of ia
yorabie ground. they often find that
the open space is zone through
which lions scent 10 blowing, denot-
ing the beasts close presence to wind
ward. Mounted Somali warriors arc
often used to scout the rolling country
for lion tracks.
East African lions show a marked
luminosity to mounted men, arising
probably from the advantage given by
the horses speed. They will attack
mounted men when unmolested and
when the circumstances would war
rant their avoiding unmounted men
until attacked, Recently few miles
north Of Lake Isolt, which Mr.. Roose-
volt will pcSs HIM SprapU fro,v, N