The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1909-03-25

yards Of the right hand bush, when
Elmi suddenly seized my arm, point
ing the rife be carried into the base
of the bush and Kissed. 'Seel Seel
The lion! Shoot him, Spring?
"0nce more must admit that could
see nothing. Strain my eyes as 1
would. | could distinguish nothing like
lion in that bush decided rather
recklessly, and perhaps from some
sense of shame that black man
should be SO superior III eyesight, TO
fire. There was no mist2king the re-
spUnSe-a growl more savage than /
ever had heard in my life before.
also saw through the thick smoke the
electric CONFUSION with which the
beast pulled Itself together for
spring. The movement disclosed the
position Of the head and shoulder, and
| put the second bullet well in behind
the shoulder. Tie beast. still growI-
ing. but mortHlly sick. crawled out be-
Eond. | now saw it was a lioness
Elmi handed me the 10. and a third
bullet. raking forward from the stern
stretched hrr amcrg the grass.
While w~ru," forward to examine
the beast and in he excitement Of the
moment utterly forgetting the second
lion in the other lush now behind us
was promptly reminded by shouts
and two rapidly fl d shots in that di-
rection. Turning round, | was just in
time To see this beast. also n lioness
bound ont toward me yellow streak
from the thick covert. growing and
snarling. | remember seeing her white
teeth rs she commenced another growl
she was only twenty yards away
but that movement was her last. A
Paradox ball on the shoulder dropped
her from our sight.
while Elmi and | were thus occu-
pied we had heard several rife shots
away on our right. 1t now TRANSFERRED
that third liOneSS had also been Sc
cured by the guns who had gone OF
in that direction. All three lionesseS
were dragged ont Of the covert by our
boys and laid in row on the grass
outside, where a scene Of indescriba-
BILE excitement ensued, the niggers
dancing and jumping around the dead
beasts to an accompaniment Of shrieks,
beating of tOmtoms and other fear
some instruments. including biscuit
tins"
In the open the hunter continually
uses his powerful fieldglasses in seek
ing game. and at times he discovers a
lion that may be approached by
means of bush stalking-that is, by
warily stealing close enough to him to
secure Il shot. But to insure success
the animal must not be disturbed, and
annoying difficulties arise. The shift,
ing winds and numerous small fowl
and animals that start up nolslly from
underfoot serve to warn the intended
prey. By getting so that the wind
blows from the lion toward the hunter.
or nearly SO. the animal does not detect
the hunters scent, but the variable
African breezes frequently put the
hunter TO windward. and the lion
quickly discovers his enemy's pres
ence. Bush stalking is usually en-
ployed in antelope hunting.
Deep ravlneS are favorite shelter
of lions during the rainy seasons Out
lying rock koppics around the noun
tains of Uganda are during these sea
sons also popular retreats. The lions
lie outside their caves by day on
shelves of rock and have two outside
beds, 50 that when the OverpOwering
midday sun makes one bed too hot
1, l., -, I,
10 be more shaded at that period. In
the dry season they find enough shell
ter in the grass and reed beds or
among the heavy canes. When the
nums are out of their rocky diurnal
lairs and in the open veldt pursuit of
them is greatly assisted by having
capable mounts on hand mounts the
tsetSe fly has overlooked. Lions, find
Ing that they cannot catch or escape
from horsemen il the open, will
crouch. awaiting attack and thus af-
ford a target.
Veteran hunters have learned to
watch other animals during lion hunts
for indications of the la>ter's presence
For Instance if herd of grazing an
telopeS is diyiued. the divisions feeding
on both sides Of an open stretch of IA
vorable ground. they often find thar
the open space is a zone through
which a lions scent is blowing. denot-
ing the heaS''S close presence to wind
ward Mounted Sun1H warriors are
often used to scou, the rolling country
for lion tracks
East African lions show Il marked
luminosity TO mounted men, arising
probably from the advantage given by
the horses speed They will attack
mounted men when unmolested and
when the circumstances would war
rant their avoiding unmounted men
until attacked Recently a few miles
north Of Lake Isolt. which Mr. Roose-
welt will pass. Il lion sprang from
clump Of bushes upon a mounted Eng
lish army officer and companion.
threw the officer and his pony 10 the
ground, breaking the pony's back, and
then killed the other man, tearing
away his face. The Englishman killed
the lion with two hollow pointed lead
Slugs from 40 Express.
Hunters often trace lions by means