The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1909-08-05
! j
|4lslI,]


around waiting to pick the bones OF
Its prey.
One day, Just as the blue haze OF
morning was lifting from the forest.
/ saw flock of vultures sailing In the
lair and swooping from time TO time.
u knew there was dead meat some
where near. | started out In search,
In quarter of an hour, right under
where the vultures were circling. |
heard the crunching of bones in a
clump OF rocks half hidden in the
high grass. There was that unmis-
taxable sound of some large animal
eating and tearing flesh After maneu-
vering for some time | came across
n wide trail OF crushed blood stained
grass, showing that some large sni-
NAL must have been dragged. No ami
NAL but a lion could drag body big
enough to make such large trail.
Cautiously approaching the rocks.
heard the animals satisfied growls
and saw the ravenous vultures, hook
beaked and huncry-eyed perched on
the points of vantage. awaiting their
chance to swoop down. ! had to be
careful. for. II the vultures gave the
danger signal. all chance of getting
the game would be lost. After crawl
ing few yards farther. got peep
between the rocks. Lying down with
two cubs sucking. was beautiful
lioness chewing at the rump of an
impala antelope. II was beautiful
sight. hated to shoot but was
a hunter and there was nothing else
to do. Although | could see the lion
ess in a general way, It was par
ticularly hard shot. as there were
snany thorn bushes and stones In my
road.
The vultures were getting uneasy.
moved. and they all rose with a heavy
Mapping OF wings. The lioness.
startled. sprang TO the top OF the
rocks. the cubs following. II was so
sudden that fired without taking aim
and missed the mother. but wounded
a cub. The other cub made OF into
the bush. the lioness following.
was in bad temper through dis
appointment and drew my knife TO
cut the throat of the wounded cub.
which was whining in pain. AS put
my hand down to make the thrust, II
licked me with its little hot tongue
and pleading look filled its soft
eyes. II was too much ike killing a
baby.
slipped my knife back into its
sheath. II vas a harmless little. fiuf.
fy ball. kitten. and ! picked II up
and patted H. vas carrying II back
TO the camp when heard a noise be
hind me. looked back and saw the
mother slip into the underground. !
knew then that there was going to be
trouble Two or three times around
the camp that day the yellow form OF
the lioness was seen fitting across
partly exposed places In the bush.
washed the cubs wound and pu,
some healing preparation from my
medicine chest on Il. That night
gave the sentries warning of possible
danger and took my little captive into
my tent and tied IL to my stretcher.
d"owsed off 10 sleep watching the
shadow OF the sentry on the tent as
he passed between II and the fire.
Suddenly a jerk at my stretchel
awoke me. Instinctively placing m,
hand on my Luger pistol, ! opened my
eyes expecting. II anything. to see IN,
guard. My heart almost stopped. TX
move meant destruction. for there, OF
three legs, with an angry snarl anC
one paw raised to strike, was the lion
ess IN the hall light that the dyins
camp fire threw through the flaps o
the tent.
My brains were OF no use TO me. fo
they ceased TO work In silent fear
almost paralyzed | lay. The liones
grabbed its cub and gave tug. Th'
cord that held Il snapped, overturn
eng my stretcher. She turned an'
bounded through the door carving
her precious offspring A shot shat
tered the silence of the night spranI
10 my feet and saw the guard stand
Ing over the quiyering form of tn