New-York tribune., 1910-01-17
ROOSEVELT AL HUNT
SEES LION KILLED.
Mattress .adUance ON Beast
Afoot and XII 7cith Spears.

Nairobi, British East Africa Dec. IA
long stream of porters came winding across
the veldt toward the station al Nairobi,
looking for all the world like a string of
ants. The Stars and Stripes were held
aloft by giant native. and the sound of
horns made strange discords with the
chanting Of the weird and elusive safari
song. Shortly Colonel Roosevelt arrived on
the back of his favorite horse Tranquility.
II was the end OF his trip in the British
East African protectorate.
This safari, which was the fourth to be
made out of Nairobf, gave Colonel Roose-
welt and his party an opportunity to wit
ness an exciting hunt at A. Z. Hoey's
farm at Srgoi. in the Guasu Ng1iisho coun-
try, the spearing of a lion by Nandi war
riors. Seventy of these spearsmen had been
asked TO take part in the drive and they
assented readily, for when warrior spears
lion he becomes a leader of the fighting
section of the tribe and may wear head
dress formed of the lions name and walk
at the head of the file of Nand warriors
when on the march. In these hunts they
display great 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 a long valley
where the grass was thick and thorn trees
lined its edges. Very soon a lion was OBJ
served not more than four 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
horsemen then approached, and it was seen
that the lion at bay was a fully grown
black named one
ADVANCED ON FOOT
The spearsmen 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. With
swished his tail and kept up a continual
roaring.
The warriors drew to within twenty yards
of him, and the horsemen closed up to see
the kill yet remained at a sufficient dis
tance not to Interfere with the spearsmen's
movements. Three times the lion made
savage charge at the now stationary war
r.ors, but stopped short eacn time, with
name bristling, roaring in impotent rage at
his tormentors
Again the attacking party advanced to
within ten yards of their victim. One last
desperate effort, and he drove directly at
the line, only to fall with ten spears ouiv-
erfng i'll his body. But in that brief mo-
natives, his claws sinking into the mans
flesh.
The death of the lion seemed to awaken
ali the fire in the warriors blood. They
tegan 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 forth blood curdling yells in the
excess of their savage joy over the victory.
KERMIT'S GOOD LUCK.
In the mean time 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 iabbed his
spear through the lion Joined in the dance
at the start, but soon retired at a distance,
where he seated himself. apparently indf-
ferent to the antics of his fellows He was
now leader of men, and must therefore
not show sign that he had done anything
out OF the ordinary.
The luck of Kermit Roosevelt has been
proverbiaL. While Colonel Roosevelt was
hunting with Lord. Delamere, Kermit went
off with f. 3. Cole and his Wandorobo
warriors. The Wandorobos are adopts at
killing bongo. which are very rare and only
tc be found in the forests. In short space
OF time the younger Roosevelt had secured
:" iaISe anu Iihe Specimen OF tHe lerlale
bongo and one of the young imma tlIre
bongo. This was feat that any old hunt
er might justly be proud Of for no white
man has ever before stalked and shot
bOngo. There are only two cases on record
OF a 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 pre-
sented Kermit with fine specimen of the
male bongo, and so the Smithsonian Insti-
tuition will have a complete family group
the only one in the world.