Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1909-05-16
Quick Shooting in a Crisis.

AS the rife came up to my shoulder
II touched a branch. which seemed
to make crack like pistol shot, and
the lion turned half round to see what
II was. Al 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
wards. came and stood close tn the
donkey, looking straight towards Us.
| pulled at his chest directly ] was
loaded. He plunged forward, hitting
the corner of our zereba. then swerved
off, and we heard him crash into
bush, where we found him stone dead
in the morning The bullet had gone
through his heart. These two lions
were very fine specimens. One had
a thick. almost jet black name. the
other had 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 10 visit the other camp. followed
their back trail to within q mile OF
the spot
Shortly before this | 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 a 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 rife blazed In
his face NJ about five yards would
frishten any lion. This one had killed
and eaten a sheep the night before,
taking 1t from the same village where
| sat up FOR him.
The two foregoing stories would
seem TO show that a large percentage
of the lions killed in Somaliland are
shot at night over a bait This is not
really so. as 1t is quite a chance II a
lion passes the place where you have
a donkey tied up. Night shooting, TO
nv mind. is a thing to be avoided, ex-
cept now and then as an experience.
II generally means a very disturbed
night. especially IL there are any
hvenas about. and in the morning you
are not At for hard days work. Oc-
casionally by bright moonlight !; IS
very interesting. hut II circumstances
admit of lions being killed by day. IL
Is rather like shooting boar in a fine
pir-sticking country to Kill a lion over
a halt al night. Sometimes Il l. the
only chance you have Of getting lion.
either because you are moving camp
next day. OF because the country is
unsuitable for tracking. Under the
circumstances you are bound to try II.
+ have never myself shot more than
tao lions in one night. but a man
whom mef IN tho country showed
me the skins NJ four ne had shot when
sitting up over the dead body " an
elephant. II vas very dark Or he
rnIEht have got any number. AZ he told
me- be was She ting most Of the night.
ana fh7t IN the morning there we're
tracks q many lions All round the car
cass.
+ have oncr or twice sat no over 4
dead animal This way u getting lions
Is only likely 70 be successful When
there arc many hcenaS about. a. they
make such = noise that they will at
tract any lion that may come past
within = reasonable distance.
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