Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1912-05-24

after short time in captivity 1t often happens
this way
party OF us went out one Sunday after lions
and adopted the novel method of riding them
down on pony-back We had not been out long
before we put up" big tawny fellow and imme-
d1ately gave chase There were four of us in
the party and rounded the lion up in
line shape While one of us fired at him In the
open plain with revolver wounding him badly.
he came to bay, clawing up the earth in huge
patches with his claws and emitting terrifying
roars
We closed in upon him from all sides, having
much ado in getting our ponies to face the
usual situation. One rode In close and fred
at him with revolver. The lion was wounded
moTtally for the second time but spFang saw
agey at him and seized him by the leg. We
were Mortified to see the lion drag him off his
pony to the ground and rode forward to the res
cue We killed the lion over his body and
saved his life. but unfortunately our efforts
unavaing, for after living through an agony
of torture for week more he died from gam
creme poisoning.
That it the first and only case where the hunt
have suffered from this new and invigorating
form of sport 1t beats pig-sticking as excit-
ing form Of sport and is infinitely more enervat-
ing than shooting lions by approved methods of
hunting. There is something in the wild ride
and the attendant risk which is altogether fasci-
mating and irresistible for most men who have
tried this method of lion-hunting.
Quite a number of lions have fallen victims
in the field as the result of this plan Of at
tack In fact the game warden has no less than
four lions to his credit from this method of kill
ing alone, to say nothing of the numbers which
have fallen to his rife by the accepted form of
Staying.
I was in the Sotik country one day, trailing
out to inspect detachment of my force, who
outpost duty. / alone, about an
hours march ahead of my porters and escort and.
it being very hot, decided to sit and rest until
my caravan came up with me. ! saw large and
shady bush a short distance from my trail and
decided that this would be very suitable spot
to rest went over to it and threw myself I'M
der it's welcome shade Then took a satisfy
ing drink from my water-bottle and filed my
pipe must have sat there for hour
smoking and thinking of what / should do when
/ reached London for my six months holiday
which was within measurable distance.
| thought of no danger and smoked and built
castles in the air. In due course my porters
hove in sight and they approached they began
to sing Justify. Suddenly from behind some
thing big moved. There instant's swish
ing of the grass and the cracking Of twigs and
then, 10 and behold big blackmaned lion bound
ed away from the other side of the bush! was
too astonished to fire and could only stare after
it, open-mouthed with establishment
do not know to this day what had really
happened but / suspect that the lion had been
asleep in the shade on the other side of the bush
unaware OF my presence as | was or his. 1t
was certainly a remarkable experience and a
laughable one, although in all conscience it
might have ended very differently. My native
porters and servants firmly convinced that
had the evil eye and therefore the lion would not
attack me- Nothing could shake their faith in my
power over the king of beasts" If had known
of the proximity of this wonderfully fine speci-
men, should certainly not have sat down and
smoked so unconcernedly beside the thorn-bush.
At Muhoroni station in the Nyando valley,
near Lake Victoria, in the latter part Of 1904
was taking stroll out from the camp when the
sun had cooled off in the evening. / knew that
no lions were ever seen in this vicinity and so
did not bother to take gun with My sport
ing little fox-terrier, "Micky Doolan," kept me
company
turned my footsteps toward small stream
about a mile and half from the camp. On ar
rival at the banks of the almost dried-up river
/ stood for while watching young reed buck
gamboling with its mother. Micky Doolan chased
imaginary rats with deep content Suddenly the