The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1909-03-05
ATTACKED BY A LION,
Awful Experience OI a Railroad
Man In Africa.
IN THE JAWS OF A MAN EATER.

|
The following description OF an al
tack BY lion, as related 20 Mr., ~
Michael Podmorc, Il, Y, s., while b
was returning from a soIourn IN III,
Wild places OF the earth, IL SO terrlbl,
realistic that we offer no apology 10
printing II. Mr., Podmore met III,
hero Of this story while ON tril
across the Pacific ocean and wal
shown the terrible scars on the mani
body:
| was engaged on tho transconti
Mental Cape to Cairo line. and oul
: gang consisted of two white men ant
tifty blacks. We each occupied sop
arate hut
Ono dark night | was aroused from
sleep by hearing something moving
backward and forward beneath my
bed, Becoming alarmed. listened
hrcathlessly to loud, long and indie
scrlbahle snitf-snltr which broke thC
stiffness ot the night Ny experience
Of Africa was not extensive. but
instantly realised that some Wild AMI
NAL was under my bed Every one Of
my faculties became Immediately par,
alyEed with horror was unable 10
utter u sound.
After a moment or two | became
aware that man eating lion was enlfr.
Ing his way along tho edges Of the
bed. perhaps a little puzzled at the
mosquito curtains then felt | must
do something, and instinctivcly. yet
nolselessly. huddled all the pillows
and bedelothes over my head. No
sooner had done this than the lion.
with q horrible pur, grabbed me by
the right shoulder and dragged mo out
on TO the floor and Immediately began
TO suck the blood which streamed
down my neck aud chest, and every
time moved he bit me more savagely.
AS raised my knees 10 get into n
crouchlng. protective position ho gave
me little pat with his paw which
nearly broke my leg and Indicted
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 round the hut and
then saw with horror tho hole made
by the Hon, who had torn out the mat
walls and erawled under my bed.
Then Il dawned upon him what had
happened. 40 he ran round 10 the other
side and kicked the door down.
All this time the only thing l seemed
to take interest In was the loud sip
ping suck, suck. made by the lion as
be drew my blood into his reeklng
jaws, | remembered, with pang OF
regret, that | had not lived a model
life recently, and began 10 pray as
had never prayed before. As prayed
| thought how curious II 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 he ran with me
he seemed to be twisting and jerking
me round sideways as though striving
to get me on his back
The lion ran across the clearing
with me for about thirty yards and
put me down under a 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, 80 expressionless and cold we're
they, yet so diabolical In their ruth.
less cruelty.
The lion seemed perfectly content
with his prey. l felt his long, rough
tongue scraping up my thighs and alb
domen, and as 1t crept 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 1t did not cause the slightest
pain, yet as the fearful fangs were
driven into a fresh place was con.
scious Of strange numbness in that
particular part.
During all this time the negroes kept
screaming "Nkanga nkangaw My
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 TIE lurid aud uncertain light Of
these the lion was seen standing over
my prostrate body. lie was an enor-
nous brute, over ten feet In length,
and with a luxuriant tawny name
that impaired TO him most majestic
appearance My friend told me after
ward that as he approached with his
gun ! was moaning and grooming
softly to myself. For some time he
was afraid to shoot lest he should kill
me instead Of the lion. He screamed
out, keep cool, Jack, and will see
vybat eon An for voup
AS he crept nearer the lion took his
fangs out Of my groin and faced about,