The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1909-02-24
ATTACKED BY A LION,
Awful Experience of a Railroad
Man In Africa.
IN THE JAWS OF A MAN EATER.
Dragged From His Bed by the Fierce
Monster, He Was Mansled and
Dashed and Carried of Bodily by
tho Brute.

Monster, He Was Mangled and
Dashed and Carried of Bodily by
tho Brute.
The following description of an at
tack by lion, as related to Mr.. St
Michael Podmore, f. T. S, while he
was returning from sojourn IN the
wlld5plaees of the earth, is so terribly
realistic that we offer no apology for
printing 1t. Mr.. Podmore met the
hero of this story while on trip
across the Pacific ocean and was
shown the terrible scars on the mans
body:
was engaged on the transconti-
mental Cape to Cairo line, and our
gang consisted of two white men and
fifty blacks. We each occupied a sep
arate hut.
One dark night l was aroused from
sleep BY hearing something moving
backward and forward beneath my
bed. Becoming alarmed, ] listened
breathlessly to loud, long and indie
scrlbable sniff-sniff which broke the
stiffness OF the night. My experience
of Africa was not extensive, but l
instantly realized that some wild AMI
NAL was under my bed. Every one of
my faculties became Immediately par
alyzed with horror. | was unable to
utter IL sound.
After II moment or two l became
aware that man eating lion was sniff
Ing his way along the edges OF the
bed, perhaps little puzzled at the
mosquito curtains. l then felt l must
do something, and instinctiyely, yet
noiselessly, / huddled all the pillows
and bedclothes over my head. No
sooner had l done this than the lion.
with horrible pur grabbed me by
the right shoulder and dragged me out
on to the floor and Immediately began
to suck the blood which streamed
down my neck and chest and every
time moved he bit me more savagely.
AS ! raised my knees to get into
crouching. protective position he gave
me little pat with his paw which
nearly broke my leg and inflicted
dreadful wound. Then suddenly the
monster dropped me out of his mouth,
thuttu pHt Dh8 pi ny thNnAt
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 the hole made
by the lion who had torn out the mat
walls and crawled under my bed.
Then 1t dawned upon him what had /
happened so he ran round TO the other
side and kicked the door down
All this time the only thing | seemed
to take interest In was the loud sip
ping suck, suck, made by the lion as
he drew my blood into his reeking
jaws. remembered, with II pang OF
regret, that | had not lived model
life recently, and l began to pray AZ |
had never prayed before. AS | prayed
| thought how curious 1t was that
did not feel the slightest sense of
pain with 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. Az he did so the
lion drove his terrible fangs into my
right groin and leaped out Of the hut
intoHhe 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 n big boabab tree,
Islay on my back with the lion on top
Of Inc, occasionally gazing with his
great luminous. greenish yellow eyes
which filed me with unutterable loath-
ing, No expressionless and cold were
they. yet so diabolical In their ruth
less cruelty.
The lion seemed perfectly content
with his prey, felt his long, rough
tongue seraplng up my thighs and alb
domen, and as IL erept 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 us the fearful fangs were
driven into n fresh place | was con
stlOuS vi ~ SliuHlt ~ ''t'f
particular part.
During all this time the negroes kept
screaming. "Nkanga, nkanga" Nj.
friend kept running round the clearing
In utter bewilderment. The appalling
blackncsS of the night added horror
to the thing which no pen could de
scribe.
At last two negroes We're induced to
make couple of torches of dry grass,
and by the lurid and uncertain light of
these the lion was seen standing over
my PROSTATE body He was an enor-
nous brute. over ten feet In length,
and with u luxuriant, tawny name
that impaired to him Il 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
cot. Keep cool Jack, and | will see
what | can do for YOU
As he crept nearer the lion took his
fangs out of my groin and faced about
growing and snaring horribly The
rife was lcveled there was Il sharp re
port, and the first shot hit the lion In
the eve. The ball ms II came ont shat
tered his lower jaw Two more ehots
were fired. and the fierce monster fer
dead by my slde.-Londcn Ideas.
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