Evening star., 1909-05-30

lost that lion.
But had better luck another time.
1t stands thus recorded in my diary:
lctn ctobcr.-tTo be marked with a
red mark when I can get red pencilD
Jackson and a native boy ACCOMPANIED
me scouting this morning We three start
cd off al : am. In moving round tire
hlll that overlooks our camp We saw
match struck high UP near the top Of
the mountain. This one little spark told
US good deal 1t showed that the en-
emy were there. that they were awake
and alert Il say they because one mig
ger would not dare to be up there bv
himself In the dark. and that they were
aware of our force being at PosseIt.s ,as
Otherwise they would not be Occupying
this hiD.
however, they could not see anything
OF US, as ii was then quite dark And
we went farther on among the noun
talns In the early morning light we
crossed the deep river bed of the I'm
chingwe river. and, in doing so. noticed
Inc fresh spoor Of a lion In the sand.
we went on and had a good look at the
enemy 5 stronghold: and on our way back,
as We approached this river Bed agreed
10 go quietly. in case the lion should he
moving about III it. On looking down
my mouth when | saw a grand old brute
Just walking in behind a bush Jackson
dld not see him. but was off his horse as
quickly as | was, and ready with his gun:
100 ready, indeed. for the moment that
the lion appeared. walking maiestically
out from behind the bush tat had hid
den him, Jackson fired hurriedly striking
the ground under his foot. and as we aft
erWard discovered, knocking off one of his
claws.
The lion tossed up his shaggy head
and looked at us in dignified surprise
Ihen | fired and hit him with a leade,
bullet from the Lee-Metford He reeled.
sprans round, and staggered a few PAGES.
when Jackson. who was using a Martini.
Henry. let him have one i'm the shoulder
This knocked him over sideways, and he
turned about. growing savasely.
Il could scarcely believe that we had
got lion at last. but resolved to make
sure OF it. so. telling Jackson not to fire
unless il vas necessary Gor fear of spoil
ing the skin with the larger bullet of tbs
MartinD. | went down closer TO the beast
and fired a shot at the back of his neck
as he turned his head momentarily away
from me. The bullet went through his
spine and came out through the lower
Jaw, killing him.
We were pretty delighted al our sue
cess. but cur niger was mad with hap
piness, for a dead lion-provided he is not
a man-ea ter-haS many invaluable gifts
for a katfir in the shape of love -philters,
charms against disease or injury and
medicines that produce bravery. Ii was
quite delightful 10 shake hands with the
mighty paws OF the dead lion, to pull at
his magnificent tdwny name, and to look
into his great deep. yellow eyes.
Then set TO work to skin
him. two OF us skinning while the
other kept watch in case of the enemy
sneahinS up to catch us while We were
ihus occupied. We found that he was
rat, and also that he had been much
wounded by porcupines. portions of
whose quilts had pierced the skin and
lodged in his flesh in several places. Our
niger cut cut the eyes, gall-bladder and
various bits OF the lions anatomy. as
fetch medicine. 4 filled my carbine
bucket with some of the fat. as | knew
my two boys, Diamond and M'tni,
would very greatly value it, Then, after
hiding the head in neishboring bush
where could find il again, packed
the skin on to one of the ponies and re-
turned 10 camp. nightly pleased with
ourselves.
By Permission OF Lonsmans. Green Co.. y.