The San Francisco call., 1910-01-17
FORMER PRESIDENT
Joins A LION HUNT
Seventy Spearmen Chase King
of Wilderness and Dance
Over Carcass
Roosevelt Party at End of Last
Trip, in British East
Africa


II. 1sos.-A long stream of porters
came winding across the veldt toward
the station at Nairobi, looking for all
the world like string of ants. The
stars and stripes were held aloft by a
giant native, and the sounds of horns
made strange discords with the chant
ing of the weird and elusive safari
song.
Colonel Roosevelt arrived shortly
afterward on the back of his favorite
horse, Tranquility. 1t was the end of
his last trip in the British East Africa
protectorate.
This safari, which was the fourth to
be made out of Nairobi. gave Colonel
Roosevelt and his party an opportunity
to witness an exciting hunt at A. E.
Hoy's farm at Saroigi, in the Guasu
Nguisho country-the spearing of a
lion by Nandi warriors.
SPEARMEN SEEK HONOR
Seventy spearmen had been asked to
take part in the drive and they as
sented readily, for when a warrior
spears a lion he becomes a leader of
the fighting section of the tribe, may
wear headdress formed Of the lions
name and may walk at the head of
the file of Nandi warriors when on the
march. When in these hunts they dis
play extraordinary courage.
The band of 70 almost naked men,
with their long, sharp spears, and at
tended by the chosen spectators, the
latter being mounted, proceeded down
a long valley, where the grass was
thick Thorn trees lined it's edges.
Soon a lion was seen not more than
400 yards in front. Immediately the
warriors gave chase. and in less than
two miles they had rounded up the
king of the wilderness.
CIRCLE CLOSES ON LION
The horsemen then approached, and
it was seen that the lion at bay was
"a full grown black named one. The
spearmen began their task of sur
rounding the quarry. Every man went
to his allotted position and the circle
slowly closed in on the snarling beast,
which switched his tail and kept up a
continual roaring.
The warriors drew to within some
30 yards of him, and the horsemen
closed up to see the kill. Three times
the lion made a savage charge at the
now stationary warriors, but stopped
short each time, roaring in impotent
rage.
The attacking party advanced to
within 10 yards OF their victim. One
last desperate effort and he drove di
rectly at the line, only to fall with 10
spears quivering in his body But in
that brief moment he managed to drag
down one of the natives. his claws
sinking into the mans flesh.
DANCE AROUND DEAD LION
The death of the lion seemed to
awaken all the fire in the warriors
blood They began a dance of triumph
around the body. waving their blood
stained spears, some of which were
bent by the force of the shock, holding
their shields above their heads and
shouting blood curdling yells.
In the meantime the injured man
was being given medical attention and
he bore the pain of his wounds 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 a distance, where he
seated himself. apparently Indifferent
to the antics of his fellows. He was
now a leader of men and must there
fore not show signs that he had done
anything out of the ordinary.
KERMIT KILLS BONGO
The luck of Kermit Roosevelt has
been proverbial While Colonel Roose-
Welt was hunting with Lord Delamere
Kermit went with r. B. Cole and his
Wanderabo warriors.
The Wanderabos are adopts at kill
ing bongo, which are rare and are to
be found only in forests. In a short
space of time the younger Roosevelt
had obtained a large and fine female
bongo and one young bongo.
This was a feat of which any old
hunter might justly be proud, for no
white man has ever stalked and shot
bongo.
There are only two cases on record
of white man shooting bongo 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 a fine speci-
men of the male bongo, and so the
Smithsonian Institution will have a
complete family group, the only one in
the world.