Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1909-05-15


stirring encounters IN the teri
dent Roosevelt will hut.
UT WOULD be absurd after nego-
Z uating the dangers of passage
of the Upper Nile out of season
and after traversing several hundreds
of miles of country in the hands
of rebellious tribesmen, to come
to mortal end under the paws
of q Nuban lion. 1t would be
the irony of fate, but that is what
nearly happened to me some years
ago. With perils innumerable behind
us the two white men of the party,
one n gold.seeker the other a pure
adventurer of the type OF Tanner,
nearly came to an end.
We frequently left the river and
navigable tributaries which we We're
working out slowly, to explore the ra-
vines for high bars. never taking with
us more than four bearers, though at
times we were absent from the main
| party outfit for fortnight, knowing
/ it was entirely safe in the care of a
thin cross.eyed Arabian ex.chasseur
vito was born voyageur with tinge
of Napoleon and the Devil and Uncle
| Tom in him. He was true as salt
Arabian and the blood brother Senegal
negro are two types of dark skinned
men with whom would as soon face
danger and difficulty as with any
white men that live.
| One night we were about to make
camp when We encountered party of
women and girls bearing water jars
and they told us of a village a mile
| further on. Before we reached the
village we were met by the chief and
his induanas who begged us to make
a stay with them as they were seri-
ously troubled with lions. Two OF the
chiefs horses and two of his wives
had been killed among the losses
| which the village had suffered and
| the three muskets in his army were of
no avail especially as none of the of.
ficers in command could be induced
to get near enough to the bold beasts
1 tofrisk a shot.
The Nubian lion is q, different beast
| from his South African and Asian
4 brother. He is taller, gaunter, WITH
black in his name and a certain philo
sophical calm about his desperate
deeds. There is nothing throaty
about his roar and it is pure rumbling
thunder. He always reminds me OF
Kipling's "bluish silent beast that
came around corner and fell to
| work.
About the second hour Of darkness
the cattle in the village became very
restless The wind was from the
south and as the half full moon was so
bright that any skulking animal near
the village would have been noticed,
Drayton and agreed that the lion was
| in little cope of rocks about a half
mile up the wind. We had not had
time before dark to examine any Of
| the old spoor and knowing merely
| that there was at least lioness with
cubs among the lot, We set out in
stead of waiting until they approached
the stream Drayton carried a special
$3.50 Winchester and l a Parker ten.
gauge, which had loaded with special
shells of dense powder and buckshot
set in wax. This is trick learned
shooting grizzlies. The effectiveness
at short range, and the certainty in
the darkness are very desirable. With
an absolutely reliable arm and care
fully prepared shell one is compari-
lively safe.
When within so yards of the Hoppe
splendid animal form rose out OF
the rocks and stood facing US his fore
paws on huge boulder. We We're
xhfkktk<khkkkk
pen, and believe she would have
gone quietly away and taken her cubs
with her, if l had not interfered The
tenets ventilated by certain ex-
plorer of prominence, who evidently
considers it heinous crime to kill
lions and similar gentle. useful crea-
lures, had not then come to my knowi
edge, not that they would have infiu-
, enced me bit, If such had been the
case, and her rich, tawny skin was
sufficient temptation for me; so !
aimed at her throat, which presents a
much easier and safer mark than that
of the lion, with Its matted and tan
gled name, sufficient at times to offer
considerable impeachment to bullet.
She must have raised her head as
fired, for my ball passed harmlessly
by; fortunately, too, for me, missing
the youngster Immediately behind her,
or pretty hullabaloo might have
been the result. All the same, was
in no enviable position, with my car
bine empty, in close proximity to these
three cats. followed the old adage
of keeping my eye intently fixed on
that of the lioness; whether that had
anything to do with her refraining
from charging l will not pretend to
say, but she did remain still whilst !
mechanically reloaded and as me-
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