Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-11-05
KILLING A LION
Roosevelt Describes Just How
He Put Beast Out Of the
Way.
BROKE BACK WITH A SHOT
Fired Three Times Before Disposing
of Animal, Which Was on the
Point of Charging.


his first lions is told by the former
president himself in an article entitled
African Game Trails written for the
November Scribner's. Here is the ex-
perience of the distinguished sports
man from his own pen:
cat this moment my black sails,
Simba. came running up to me and
took hold Of the bride. He had seen
the chase from the line of march and
had cut across to join me. There was
no other sails. or gun bearer, anywhere
near, and his action was plucky. for
he was the only man afoot, with the
lion at bay. Lady Pease had also
ridden up and was an interested spec
tator only some fifty yards behind me.
How Roosevelt Planned.
"Sow, an elderly man with varied
past, which includes rheumatism, does
not vault lightly into the saddle, as his
sons, for instance, can. and had al
ready made up my mind that in the
event of the lions charging it would
be wise for me to trust to straight
powder rather than to try to scramble
into the saddle and get under way in
time. The arrival of my two COM
panions settled matters. / was not
sure of the speed of Lady Pease's
horse, and Simba was on foot, and it
was of course out OF the question for
me to leave him. So l said, Good.
Simba; now We'll see this thing
through and gentle hammered Simba
smiled a shy appreciation of my tone.
though he could not understand the
words.
1.-THE Lion Turned Toward U.s."
81 still could not see the lion when l
knelt. but he was now standing up,
looking first at one group of horses
and then at the other. his tail flashing
to and fro, his head held low and his
lips dropped over his mouth in pecul-
lar fashion, while his harsh and saw
age growing rolled thunderously over
the plain. Seeing Simba and me on
foot, he turned toward us, his tail LASH
ing quicker and quicker.
Resting my elbow on Simba's bent
shoulder, l took steady aim and press
ed the trigger. The bullet went in be-
tween the neck and shoulder, and the
lion fell over on his side, one fore leg
in the air. He recovered in a moment
and stood up. evidently very sick. and
once more faced me. growing hoarse-
~. 1 think he was on the eve of charg-
ing. l fired again at once. and this
bullet broke his back just behind the
shoulders, and with the next l killed
him outright after we had gathered
round him."
Kills Leopard Barehanded.
''My friend Carl Akely of Chicago nc
tually killed barehanded a leopard
which sprang on him. He had already
wounded the beast twice. Gripping II
in one front and one hind paw, where
upon it charged. followed him as he
tried to dodge the charge and struck
him full just as he turned. 1t bit him
in one arm, biting again and again as
it worked up the arm from the wrist
to the elbow, but Akely threw it, hold
ing it's throat with the other hand and
finging its body to one side.
at luckily fell on it's side with its
two wounded legs uppeTmost. so that
it would not tear him. He fell for
ward with it and crushed In its chest
with his knees until he distinctly felt
one of it's ribs crack. This. said Axe
ly, was the first moment when he felt
he might conquer. Rebuilding his eff
forts, with knees and hand he actu-
ally choked and crushed the life out of
-