The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1909-07-10


vultures that hover
around waiting to pick the bones of
its prey.
One day, just as the blue haze OF
morning was lifting from the forest,
saw a flock of vultures sailing In the
air and swooping from time to time.
! knew there was dead meat some
where near | started out In search.
In quarter of an hour. right under
where the vultures were circling.
heard the crunching Of bones In a
clump of rocks half hidden In the
high grass There was that unmis-
taxable sound of some large animal
eating and tearing flesh. After maneu-
verine for some time l came across
a wida trail Of crushed, blood stained
grass. showing that some large anil
NAL must have been dragged. No anil
NAL but lion could drag body big
enough 10 make such large trail
Cautiously approaching the rocks, I
heard the animals satisfied growls
and saw the ravenous vultures, hook
beaked and hunSry-eyed, perched on
chance to swoop down. | had to be
careful, for, II the vultures gave the
danger signal, all chance of getting
the game would be lost After crawl
ing a few yards farther, got a peep
between the rocks. Lying down with
two cubs sucking. was beautiful
lioness chewing at the rump of an
TIM Ia nj f,xv
sight. hated to shoot, but I was
a hunter and there was nothing else
TO do. Although could see the lion
ess In general way, 1t was par
ticularly hard shot, as there were
many thorn bushes and stones In my
The vultures were getting uneasy.
moved, and they all rose with heavy
Tapping Of wings The lloness,
startled, sprang to the top of the
rocks. the cubs following. II was so
sudden that fred without taking aim
and missed the mother, but wounded
a cub. The other cub made Off into
the bush. the lioness following.
was in bad temper through dis
appointment and drew my knife to
cut the throat of the wounded cub,
which was whining in pain. AS put
my hand down to make the thrust, II
licked me with its little hot tongue
and a pleading look filed its soft
eyes. It was. too much like killing a
baby.
slipped, my knife back into Its
sheath. It was harmless little, fluf-
fy ball, kitten, and picked It up
and patted IT. / was carrying II back
to tho camp when heard a noise be-
hind me. looked back and saw the
mother slip into the underground. :
knew then that there was going to be
trouble, Two or three times around
the camp that day the yellow form OF
the lioness was sesn fitting across
partly exposed places In the bush.
washed the cubs wound and pat
some healing preparation from mr.
medicine chest on Il. That night :
gave the sentries warning OF possible
danger and took my little captive ints,
my tent and tied II 10 my stretcher ,
d,owsed on to sleep watching tho
shadow Of the sentry on the tent a.
he passed between Il and the FIRE.
Suddenly jerk at my stretche-
awoke me. Instinctively placing MI
hand on my Luger ristol. l. opened mv
eyes expecting. II anything, to see tbs
guard. My heart almost stopped. no
move meant destruction, for there. on
three legs, with an angry snarl and
one paw raised to strike. was the lion
ess In the half light that the dying
camp Ore threw through the flaps of
the tent
MY brains were OF no use to me. for
they ceased TO work. In silent fear.
almost paralyzed, | lay. The. lloness
grabbed its cub and gave a tug. The
cord that held It snapped. overturn-
ing my stretchef. She turned and
bounded through the door carrying
her precious offspring. A shot shat
tered the silence OF the nieht.fI sprang
20 my feet and saw the guard stand
lns ovor the quivering form OF the