The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-01-17
SPEARING A LION.
Natives Get Up Show for Colonel
ROOsevelt'S Benefit.

Nairobi, B. E. A. Dec. IL. 1904
long stream of porters came winding
across the veldt toward the station at
Niarobi, looking for all the world like
strinp of ants. The stars and stripes
were held a1oft by giant native, and
the sound of horns made strange dis
cords with the chanting of the weird
and elusive safari song. Shortly Col
Roosevelt arrived On the back of his
favorite horse Tranquility" 1t was
the end OF his last trip in the British
East African protectorate.
This safari, which was the fourth to
be made out of Nairobi, gave Col.
Roosevelt and his party an opportunity
to witness an exciting hunt at A e.
Hoy's farm at Sirgoi, in the Guasu
Nguisho country, and the spearlng OF
lion by Nandi warriors.
Seventy of these spearsmen had been
asked to take part in the drive. and
they assented readily, for when a war
rior spears a lion he becomes a leader
of the fighting section of the tribe, may
wear a head dress formed Of the lions
name and nay walk at the head of the
file of the Nandi warriors when On the
march. When in these hunts they dis
play extraordinary courage.
The band of seventy almost naked
men, with their long, sharp spears and
attended by the chosen spectators, the
latter being mounted proceeded down
long valley where the grass was thick.
The trees lined it's sides. Very soon a
| was
hundred yards In front. Immediately
the warriors gave chase, and in less
than two miles they had rounded up the
king of the wilderness. The horse then
approached and it was seen that the
lion at bay was a fully grown black
named one. The spearsmen began their
task of surrounding the quarry. Every
man went to his allotted position and
the circle slowly closed in on the snarl-
ing beast which swished it's tail and
T. mi
riors drew to within some twenty yards
Of him, and the horsemen closed up to
see the kill, yet remained at a sufficient
distance not to interfere.
Three times the lion made a savage
charge at the now stationary warriors.
but stopped short each time, with name
brist1ing. roaring in impoent rage at his
tormentors. Again the attacking party
advanced to within ten yards of their
victim. One last desperate effort and
fall with ten spears quivering in his
body. But in that brief moment. he
managed to drag down one of the ma
tives, his claws sinking into the mans
flesh.
The death of the lion seemed to
awaken all the fire in the warriors
blood. They began dance of triumph
around the body, waving their blood
stained spears. some of which were
bent by the force of the shock, holding
shouting forth blood-curdlng yel1s in
the excess Of their joy. In the mean
time the injured man was being given
medical attention and he bore the pain
without a sign of concern.
He who had first jabbed his spear
through the lion Joined in the dance at
the start but soon retired to distance.
apparently Indifferent to the antics Of
his fellows. He was now a leader of
men and must therefore not show signs
that he had done anything out Of the
ordinary.
The luck of Kermit Roosevelt has
been proverbial. While Col. Roosevelt
was hunting with Lord Delamere,
Kermit went off with R. B. Cole and his
Wanderobo. warriors The Wanderobo
are adopts at killing bongu which are
very rare and to be found in the
forests In a short space of time the
younger Roosevelt had secured a large
and fine specimen of the female bongu
and one of the young immature bongu.
This was a feat of which any old
hunter might justly be proud for no
white man ever before has stalked and
shot a bongu. There are only two cases
on record of white man shooting
bongu with the aid of the natives and
their dogs.
So pleased was one of the residents
here with the success of the youth that
he presented Kermit with fine speci-
men of the male bongu and so the
Smithsonian institution will have a
cOJOn1ete familV