River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1909-05-13

knocked him over did not see, as at
that moment / drew back my head
involuntarily, because, although we
were absolutely safe inside a mass of
mimosa thorns, the whole thing felt
unpleasantly close. When l looked
out again l could easily have touched
one of the lions, which was standing
with its forepaws on the donkey and
its hind quarters within few inches
of our fence. The other lion was
standing on the far side looking me
straight in the face; but l am sure he
could not see me- as the moon was
right in his eyes, making them shine
as if they were alight. 1 could only
see his head, as the other lions body
was in the way. so l determined to
give the one nearest me shot. There
was very little of him to be seen ex-
cept his hind quarters, but he was so
close l was sure the bullet would drive
right through him.
Quick Shooting in a Crisis.
AS the rife came up to my shoulder
it touched a branch, which seemed
to make a crack like a pistol shot. and
the lion turned half round to see what
it was. AT the same moment | fired
and he fell. rolling over and over
against the fence, and roaring loudly.
Thinking that in his struggles he
might carry away some of our zereba,
| gave him two more shots to finish
him. AS | shot the second time, the
other lion, which had run back few
yards, came and stood close to the
donkey, looking straight towards us.
I pulled at his chest directly I was
loaded. He plunged forward, hitting
the corner Of our zereba, then swerved
off, and we heard him crash into q
bush, where we found him store dead
in the morning. The bullet had gone
through his heart. These two lions
were very fine specimens. One had
thick, almost jet black name, the
other had a lighter name, but for
wild lion very thick. There is no
doubt these were the lions seen the
day before, as the next day, riding
over to visit the other camp, followed
their back trail to within a mile of
the spot.
Shortly before this l shot three
times at lion which was eating my
donkey. The night was as dark as
pitch. The lion took very little notice
of the two first shots. although one of
them hit the donkey in the ribs. The
third shot was very lucky one. The
bullet hit the donkey in the stomach,
and, going through, caught the lion at
the junction of the neck with the
chest, killing him on the spot One
would think that a 577 rifle blazed in
his face at about five yards would
frighten any lion. This one had killed
and eaten sheep the night before,
taking it from the same village where
l sat up for him.
The two foregoing stories would
seem to show that large percentage
of the lions killed in Somaliland are
shot at night over bait. This is not
really so, as it is quite chance if
lion passes the place where you have
a donkey tied up. Night shooting, to
my mind, is thing to be avoided, ex-
cept now and then as an experience.
1t generally means a very disturbed
night, especially if there are any
hyenas about, and in the morning you
are not fit for hard days work. Oc-
casionally by bright moonlight it is
very interesting, but if circumstances
admit of lions being killed by day, it
is rather like shooting boar in fine
pig-sticking country to kill a lion over
a bait at night. Sometimes it is the
only chance you have of getting lion,
either because you are moving camp
next day, or because the country Is
unsuitable for tracking. Under the
circumstances you are bound to try it.
l have never myself shot more than
two lions in one night, but man
whom | met in the country showed
me the skins of four he had shot when
sitting up over the dead body of an
elephant 1t was very dark or he
might have got any number, as he told
me he was shooting most of the night,
and that in the morning there were
tracks of many lions all round the car
cass.
I have once or twice sat up over
dead animal his way of getting lions
is only likely to be successful when
there are many hyenas about, as they
make such a noise that they will at
tract any lion that may come past
within a reasonable distance.
BY permission of Longmans, Green &
Co., New York.
copyright, 1909, by Benz. B. Hampton)