The wageworker. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1904-????, 1909-05-15

had cut up and taken away the heller.
We tied the donkey by one forelek
almost touching the fence Of om
zereba, and after showing In my bed
ding. crawled in through the opening
at the back. Two men who had
come with US crammed this hole up
with thorns. and then went away,
talking loudly to make the Honess
think that all was safe il she were
anywhere near.
After looking about for some time I
made out the Honess sinking along
behind our bush. She would not come
up to the donkey, but lay down some
way OF under a bush. There was NO
hole on that side, so could not shoot
with any certainty; and at last, need
Ing sleep. lay down. telling Abdulla
to keep his eye on the Honess, and
wake me II there was any chance of
q shot. had not slept long when he
touched NE. at the same time putting
his hand over my mouth to prevent
me calling out on being suddenly
awoke. got up ON my knees, looking
out of the hole. but for a moment I
could not make out anything.
1t was lovely night, but even By
the brightest moonlight q lion is not
very easy thing to see- There was
an open glade In front of the donkey,
and. at last, standing out in the open,
I saw two lions. They seemed az II
they could not make out why the
donkey did not run away. and stood
quite still looking at him As
watched they suddenly started, and
came racing towards US side by side
like two enormous dogs When the
lions got up to the donkey they did
not seem to stop their rush, but
donkey and lions all went down with
a crash together How they actually
Knocked him over I 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 I 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 I am sure he
could not see me, as the moon was
right In his eyes, making them shine
as If they were alight- / could only
see his head, as the other lions body
was in the way, SO / 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 was sure the bullet would drive
right through him.
Quick Shooting in a Crisis.
As the rife came up to my shoulder
1t touched a branch, which seemed
to make a crack like a pistol shot, and
the lion turned half round to see what
1t 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
I gave him two more shots to finish
him. As 1 shot the second time, tbs
other lion, which had run back a few
yards, came and stood close to the
donkey, looking straight towards Us
pulled at his chest directly I was
loaded. He plunged forward, hitting
the corner of our Zereba, then swerved
of, and we heard him crash into a
bush, where we found him stone dead
in the morning. The bullet had gone
through his heart These two Hons
were very dne specimens One had
thick, alp.ost jet black name, the
other had lighter name. but for .
wild lion very thick There Is nc
doubt these were the lions seen the
day before, as the next day, riding
over to visit the other camp, / followed
the spot
Shortly before this I shot three
| times at q lion which was eating my
| donkey. The night was as dark a;
pitch The lion took very little notIc1
| of the two first shots, although one o.
them hit the donkey in the ribs. Tee
third shot was a very lucky one Ths
| bullet hit the donkey In the stomach
and, going through. caught the lion a
the junction Of the neck with ths
chest, killing him On the spot ON
| would think that a SIT rife blazed i,
his face at about five yards woul.
frighten any lion. This one had kilIes
and eaten a sheep the night before
taking 1t from the same village vhsy,
I sat up for him.
The two foregoing stories woci.
seem to show that large percentag
Of the lions killed in SonaINand ar
shot at night over bait This Is NC
really so, as it Is quite chance e ;
lion passes the place where you hav'
donkey tied up. Night shooting. t
my mind. Is thing to be avoided. ez
cept now and then as an experience
1t generally means very distCrbe'
night, especially IL there are an,
hyenas about, and in the morning yo'
are not fit for a hard days work o.
casionaily by bright moonlight 1t 4
very interesting, but IL Circumstance