The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-03-02
ATTACKED BY 4 LION,
Awful Experience of a Railroad
Man In Africa.
m THE laws or 4 MAN EATER.

The following description Of an at
tack by a lion. as related to Mr.. st.
Michael Podmore, F. z. s.. while he
was returning from q sojourn In the
wild places Of the earth, Is SO terribly
realistic that we offer NO apology for
printing 1t. Mr.. Podmore met the
hero Of this story while on . trip
across the Pacific ocean and was
shown the terrible scars on the mans
body:
I was engaged on tho transconti-
mental Cape to Cairo tine, and our
gang consisted of two white men and
fifty blacks. We each occupied sep
arate hut.
One dark night I was aroused from
sleep by hearing something moving
backward and forward beneath my
bed. Becoming alarmed, I listened
breathlessly to . loud, long and indie
scribable sniff-sniR which broke the
stiffness Of the night. My experience
Of Africa was not extensive, but
instantly realized that some wild AMI
NAL was under my bed. Every one OF
my faculties became Immediately par
alyzed with horror. I was unable to
utter u sound
After q moment or two became
aware that man eating lion was snih-
ing his way along the edges Of the
bed, perhaps a little puzzled at the
mosquito curtains. I then felt must
do something, and instinctively, yet
noiselessly, huddled all the pillows
and bedclothes over my head. No
sooner had I done this than the lion,
with 4 horrible pur, grabbed me by
the right shoulder and dragged me out
on to the floor and Immediately began
down my neck and chest, and every
time moved he bit me more savagely.
As I raised my knees to get into
crouching, protective position he gave
me little pat with his paw which
nearly broke my leg and inflicted 4
dreadful wound. Then suddenly the
monster dropped me out Of his mouth,
placed one massive paw ON my chest,
and then, throwing back his noble
head, he gave four terrible roars OF
triumph and defiance.
Ny chum walked round the hut and
then saw with horror the hole made
by the lion, who had torn out the mat
walls and crawled under my bed.
Then it dawned upon him what had
happened, SO he ran round to the other
side and kicked the door down.
All this time the only thing 1 seemed
to take interest in was the loud sip
ping suck, suck, made by the lion as
he drew my blood into his reeking
Jaws. I remembered, with pang of
regret, that had not lived q model
life recently, and began to pray as
had never prayed before. As I prayed
I thought how curious it was that I
did not feel the slightest sense OF
pain with a man eating lion chewing
my flesh and drinking my blood.
l had been lying on my back, with
my neck and head resting against the
side of the hut, when my friend
smashed the door. As he did 80 the
lion drove his terrible fangs into my
right groin and leaped out Of the hut
into the darkness. As he ran with me
he seemed to be twisting and jerking
me round sideways, as though striving
to get me on his back.
The lion ran across the clearing
with me for about thirty yards and
put me down under q big boabab tree.
I lay on my back with the lion on top
Of me. occasionally gazing with his
great luminous, greenish yellow eyes,
which filed me with unutterable loath-
ing, 50 expreSsionless and cold were
they, yet so diabohcai In their ruth
less cruelty.
The lion seemed perfectly content
with his prey. felt his long, rough
tongue scraping up my thighs and alb
domen, and as it crept higher and
higher I felt little gusts of his hor-
rible breath. half turned my head
away, but still the long, greedy tongue
worked its way toward my throat. I
could distinctly feel each bite, because,
although 1t did not cause the slightest
pain, yet - the fearful fangs were
driven into q fresh place was con-
scious Of q strange numbness In that
particular part.
During al this time the negroes kept
screaming, 'Nkanga, nkangaw Ny
friend kept running round the clearing
IN utter bewilderment. The appalling
blackness Of the night added horror
to the thing which no pen could de-
scribe.
At last two negroes were induced to
make q couple Of torches Of dry grass,
and by the lurid and uncertain light Of
these the lion was seen standing over
my PROSTATE body. He was m enor-
nous brute, over ten feet In length,
and with . luxuriant, tawny name
that impaired to him a most majestic
appearance. MY friend told me after
ward that ~ he approached with his
gun was moaning and grooming
softly to myself. For some time he
was afraid to shoot lest he should KIN
me instead Of the lion. He screamed
out, Keep cool, Jack, and win see
what can do for your
As he crept nearer the lion took his
fangs out Of my groin and faced about,
growing and snarling horribly. The
rife was leveled. there was sharp re-
port, and the flrst shot hit the lion IN
the eye. The ball as 1t came ont shat
tered his lower jaw. Two more shots
were fired, and the fierce monster fell
dead BY my side.-London Ideas.
IN arm rnaeNn