Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1909-04-14
ATTACKED BY A LION,
Awful Experience of a RciIroad
Man In Africa.
IN THE JAWS OF A MAN EATER.
Dragged From His Bed by the Fieres
Monster, he Was MansIed and
Gsshed and Carried OF Bodily BY
the Brute.

dragged FROM Hts Bcd by the Ficrcs
Monster, He Was Mansled and
Gsshed and Carried OF Bodily By
the Brute.
The following description OF au at.
tack 10y a lion, as related TO Mr.. ST.
Michael Podmore. Il. 4. y. while he
was returning from sojourn In the
wild places OF the earth. is SO terribly
realistic that we offer no apology for
printing IL. 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:
| was engaged on the transconti-
mental Cape 10 Cairo line. and our
gang consisted OF two white men and
fifty blacks. We each occupied sep
arate hut
One dark night 1 was aroused from
sleep by hearing something moving
backward and forward beneath my
bed. Becoming alarmed. listened
breathlessly TO a loud, long and indie
scrIbable sniff-snin 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. was unable TO
utter sound.
After a moment or two l became
aware that a man eating lion was sniff
ing his way along the edges OF the
bed. perhaps little puzzled at the
mosquito curtains. l then felt / must
do something, and instinctlvely, yet
noiseleSSly. | huddled all the pillows
and bedclothes over my head. No
sooner had | done this than the lion.
with horrible pur, grabbed me by
the right shoulder and dragged me out
on TO the floor and Immediately began
TO suck the blood which streamed
down my neck and chest, and every
time | moved he bit me more savagely.
As raised my knees TO get into a
crouching. protective position he gave
me a little pat with his paw which
nearly broke my leg and inflicted a
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.
My chum walked refund 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 IL 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 seemed
10 take interest in was the loud sip
ping suck. suck. made by the lion as
he drew my blood into his reeking
jaws. l remembered, with a pang OF
regret. that / had not lived a model
life recently, and L began TO pray as I
had never prayed before. AS prayed
/ thought how curious IL was that /
did not feel the slightest sense OF
pain with a man eating lion chewing
my flesh and drinking my blood.
| 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 so the
lion drove his terrible fangs into my
right groin and leaped out OF the hut
into the darkness. AS be ran with me
he seemed TO be twisting and Jerking
me round sideways. as though striving
20 get me on his back.
The lion ran across the clearing
with rue for about thirty yards and
put me down under big boabab tree
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. so expressionless and cold were
they, yet SO diabolical In their ruth
less cruelty.
The lion seemed perfectly content
with his prey. / felt his long, rough
tongue scrdping up my thighs and alb
domen, and as it cfept higher and
higher / 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. /
could distinctly feel each bite, because,
although it did not cause the slightest
pain, yet as the fearful fangs were
driven into fresh place l was con-
scious OF n strange numhness in that
particular part.
During all this time the negroes kept
screaming, "Nkanga, nkangar 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 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 an enor-
nous brute, over ten feet in length,
and with luxuriant, tawny name
that impaired 10 him most majestic
appearance. My friend told me after
ward that as he approached with his
gun l 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 will see
what can do for you!
AS he crept nearer the lion took his
Iangs out o my groin and faced about,
growing and snarling horribly. The
-ffle was leveled, there was n sharp re-
port, and the first shot hit the lion I'm
the eye. The ball as II came out shat
tered his lower jaw. Two more shots
were fired. and the fierce monster fell
dead 10y my side.-London Ideas.