The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1912-05-24

GUS Perhaps have been UNI
duIv fortunate in encounters with the lion, and
that alone makes him appear anything but the
skiing Of beasts" that he is SO popularity supposed
4 to be.
Il have invariably experienced the greatest dan
xer IN hunting where elephants were concerned.
With lions have never had any serious trouble.
In fact / have rather sneaking contempt lor
them. for they are harmless except when they
are wounded and followed into the long grass, or
In the case Of lioness with cubs So great
contempt have the men in East Africa for them
that they have now taken to hunting them on
horseback riding them down and shooting them
with revolvers.
shall endeavor to show why the hunters OF
Africa look so lightly upon these tawny beasts
of the Jungle must confess unless be mis-
understood, that lions may be as dangerous and
even more SO than other animals of the plains or
forests under certain circumstances, but It mas
never ben my lot to experience any great dan
ger from them This Is primarily due to an In
born caution begot as the result OF seven years
hunting in the wilderness Of tropical Africa
AT times there are maneaters at large, but for
the most part they are lions that have tasted
blood or that are too old to hunt their natural
prey, the zebras.
Man-eaters are rarity rather than otherwise
ia East Africa and Uganda. In fact know OF
only one case where white man has been eat
en- by d lion during the whole seven years OF my
residence in East Africa. The story OF this Is
dreadful enough in it's pitiless detail but there
Ii a touch of humor in the story. notwithstand-
ing.
i was stationed at a small outlying government
post early in 1904 when native came in one
day and reported that white man, who had
been prospecting for land had disappeared and
left his caravan Of porters almost starving some
days march away from my post. FASTENED gut
to search for the man and to relieve the porters
from their predicament.
On my arrival at the camp found that the
porters had no idea what had become OF their
master. At first suspected foul play, but later
came to the conclusion that the man had fallen
victim to a prowling beast of the jungles.
instituted a close search and eventually found
the head and shoulders of the poor fellow.
He had been eaten by lion, Of that there
could be no mistake, Judging by the remains
The remnants Of the body were In bad state
of decomposition and had them placed In a
packng-case for burial On my way to the grave
to perform the burial service was almost over
come with laughter, despite the sad occasion,
by observing on the packng-case comm the stem
ciled words, Keep in a cool place" Stow away
from the boilers" The packing-case had been
used to ship cans Of butter to East Africa, hence
the painted signs
The natives occasionally fall victims to the
depredations of lions, but the white man rarely
does for some unknown reason. Even then the
deaths are more often due to gangrene setting
in where men have been mauled and rarely from
actual direct killing.
remember well my first meeting with lion.
was coming home from a dinner party late at
night in Nairobi, the capital of East Africa. and
had decided to inspect one Of my military guards
on the government railway buildings. When
had approached near enough to the sentry to
hear what was going on. was surprised to hear
him banging the corrugated iron wall of the
building with the butt end of his MartiniHenri
rife. He was shouting "Shoo! SHOOT" at the top
of his voice.
ran toward him to discover what was the
matter.
..why are you making this noise, You fool?"
cried.
7 lion. sir. very near. eating zebra" he re-
piled.
ran forward and there, sure enough. was a
big black-maned lion in the bright moonlight
eating zebra within fifty yards Of the sentry.
He had evidently chased the zebra into the
township killed it and was now happily taking
his supper. He paid not the slightest attention
to the sentry's noise, but kept on tearing great
masses of flesh from the zebra's carcass, purring
loudly all the time like huge cat.
MY sympathy was with the sentry for he dare
not leave his post and he dare not fire at the
loon, for he was uncertain as to the accuracy Of
his old weapon. which had been condemned for
many years by the government and was now
totally unfit for use.
Telling the sentry to take advantage of the
safety offered him at the top Of nearby lamp
post FASTENED to my house to get my sporting
rifle. In order to do this had to pass within
one hundred yards Of the lion, who paid no atten-
tion to me at ALL hurried back to the spot
with my trusty rife and fired at the lion, badly
wounding It. He dashed of into the plains be-
hind the town, emitting angry roars as he went.
decided to follow him for time at least. but
after a firing chase he outdistanced me and I
was forced to return to bed.
Next morning rode out into the plains and
searched for him. / soon picked up his spoor
and in two hours had killed my first lion within
q few miles Of Nairobi township. He was very
fine specimen and well worthy Of my initial eff
fort in nonhunting. was justly proud Of my
achievement, but had to submit to consider
able amount Of goodnatured u char from my
brother ofncials for being SO kfsn as to hunt my
first lion by moonlight In the streets of the town.
On another occasion young Hon cub was
found by party of under the raised floor Of
the corrugated-ron postonace building in the
main street Of Nairobi. Il had apparentlY come