New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-10-22
4 ROOSEVELT HUNT.
E.r-President Describes Killing
of Lion.

In 'Scribner's 1Iagazine'' Eor November
ex-President Roosevelt presents the second
article IN his series giving an account q
MS African trip. Mr.. Roosevelt writes Of
ms impressions and experiences on an
East african ranch, which IN many WAYS
reminded him Of early days on the plains
OF tne srsat West, and tells OF his first
successful Ion hunt on the Kapitf Plains.
me ex-Fresident says in part:
II IS hard for one who has not himself
seen II TO realize the immense Quantities
OF ganAe 70 De found on the Kapiri Plains
ana Athl Plains and the hills that bound
lhenn- The common game OF the plains,
the animals OF which saw most while at
hltanga and in the neighbOrhoOd, were the
zebra, wildebeest, hartebesst, Grants ga
Se!s ana "IOmmIeS" or IhcmpSon'S ga
zelle; the zebra and the hartebsest, usually
kncWn by the SWahih name OF kongoni.
Beng by far the most plentiful. Then
IheIe were 1mpallas mountain rsedbuck.
duyker, steinbuck and dininUtive dixdik.
AS We travelled and hunted we were hard
~ ever out OF sight OF game; and on
PeaSeS farm itself there we're many thou
sand head; and so there were on Skaters
II wealthy men who desire sport OF the
most varied ana interesting kind would
purchase farms like these they could get.
Iof much less money. many times the in
tereSt and enjoyment a deer forest or
grouse moor can afford
Unless there was something special on.
like a lion or rhinoceros hunt i usually
rode on followed only by my sails and sun
bearers. 1 cannot describe the beauty and
the unceaS1ng interest Of these rides.
was ike retracing the steps OF time for
SIXTY or seventy years. and being back in
the days OF CORVALLIS Harris and Gordon
cumming, IN the palnly times Of the giant
fauna Of South Africa big game. on
PeaSe'S own farm one DAY passed through
scores OF herds of the beautiful and Won
above; all told there were several thou
SandS OF them, With the exception Of the
Wiideoeest, most OF them were not shy,
ana could have taken scores OF shots at
a distance of a couple of hundred yards or
JhereaboUt OF course, I did not shoot AZ
anything unless we were out OF meat or
needed the skin for the collection: and
when we took the skin we almost ALWAYS
TOOK The meat toe. Tor the pOrters. al
though they had their raUions OF rice, de-
pended for much OF their Weubeing on our
success with the rifle
Describing how he killed enc Of his 5rst
lions, Mr.. Roosevelt writes:
At this moment my black sails. Sim1a,
came running up 70 me and took hold Of
the brides he had seen the chase from
me line Of march and had cut across 70
bearer anywhere near, and his action was
piuGkyr for he was the only man afoot
with the lion at bay. Lady Peass had also
LlG0sh up ana was an interested spectator
only some nifty Yards behind me.
Now an elderly man with varied paSt
which includes rheumatism does not vaulI
instance, can; and I had already made up
my mind that in the event OF the lions
charging IL would be wise for me 70 trust
TO straight powder rather than % Try 20
scramble into the saddle and get under
way In time. The arrival OF nv two conn
paniOns settled matters. j was rot sure
% the speed OF Lady Pease'S horse; ana
Simoa was on foot and II was OF cQurss
out OF the question for me to leave him
So I said "GOOd Simba, now Wen see
this thing through" and gentIe-mannered
Sinba smiled a shy appreciation % ny
tone, though he could not understand the
words. l could Still not see the lion when
] knelt but he WAS now standing up. 4ook-
ing trst at one group OF horses and tneN
AZ the other. his tail laShing % and ny;
his head held low and his lips droppSN
over his mouth In peculiar fashion. WmuS
his harsh and savage grOwAnS r0ilS-
thundeFOusly over the plain. Seems Sle9S
and me on foot. he turned toward US, ~
tail ldshing quicker and quicken hss.i.re
my elbow on Simba'S bent shoulder, t.Sa
steady aim and pressed the utsset;
bullet went IA between the neck aeq SNe..
der. and the lion fell over on his site o..
fOreleg in the air. tie recovered N = ~.
ment and stood up evidently very -
and once more faced me, srowEhs 49, 800.
~ / think he was on the eve OF enc 80 $50
] fired again at once. and this oQ,tel nj
his back just behind the sh0NdstS' sser
with the next killed him 0uulsh'' "'
We mad gathered round him.