The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1912-11-26
CAUGHT BY A LION
Fearful Adventure With a South
African Man Eater.
FLUNG RIGHT INTO ITS JAWS.

Ordeal Of a Transvaal Ranger Who
Was Pitched Over His Horses Head
Only to Be Gripped In Midair by the
Savage Brute-The Dramatic Finish.
If any one Is eager for adventure
hunting lions in their native jungles
will offer him abundant opportunity.
Major j. Stevenson Hamilton in the
pages of his book, animal Life In
Africa" gives an account of terrible
experience that one of his fellow ran
gers of the Transyaal game reserve
had with lion
In August, 1903, he was returning
from months patrol to the Olifants
river and had arrived within two days
march of the Sabi. He had pushed on
ahead of his natives and pack donkeys
In order 10 reach the nearest police
picket before nIghtfall However, the
distance was greater than he thought,
and darkness found him still some
three miles from his destination, riding
along path by the side of reed
his big dog Bill
AS he rode through the dry bed of
the creek, where the path crossed 1t In
one of its windings, he saw something
move out of the reeds and melt away
into the darkness ahead. A few yards
barking. and again an indistinct form
moved away Surprising this to be
buck of some kind. the ranger rode on
without taking any special notice of
the incident. but few minutes after
ward he suddenly saw the shape again,
this time apparently approaching.
He had scarcely time to reflect that
this was an odd performance for
reed buck when he became conscious
that 1t was no antelope, but lion In
the act OF crouchfng for a spring
Pulling his horse sharp to the right
latter partially to miss his mark, but
his claws tore down the horses quar-
tiers, and the frightened animal. max
ing a terrified leap forward. shot Its
rider over its right shoulder straight
into the jaws of second lion, which
had been coming up from behind
Horse man and rife all went In diff
ferent directions. The horse made off
at full speed. followed by the first lion.
which in turn was pursued by the dog
The man never touched the ground at
all, as the hon seemed to catch him In
midair.
The tirst thing he realized was that
1t was trotting off with him down the
path. He was held firmly by the right
shoulder. and. lying on his back. his
face was on q level with the brute's
neck, while his legs were dragging
along under its belly.
1t was desperate predicament, and
as soon as he was able to collect his
thoughts little he began to wonder
whether he would be killed outright
or tortured first He saw no hope of
escape. The pain he describes as
acute, which is contrary to the expert
ence Of Livingstone and others How
ever, being a very cool headed man
and full of grit. he presently began to
cast about for some method of saving
himself
The mind works quickly in such
cases, and suddenly he remembered his
sheathknife. an ordinary six inch
blade, which was carried In an open
leather case at the back of his belt
Reaching underneath himself with his
left hand. he discovered that the knife
had not been lost. So pulling it out. he
bent all his energy on holding it tight
and awaited favorable opportunity
Fortune favors the brave. and the
rangers chance came when the lion
after going with him about 100 yards
laid him down under small tree for
the purpose either of shifting its grip
or of commencing operations upon him
Feeling very carefully behind the left
shoulder for what he judged to be
vital spot. he struck couple of back
handed blows with all his force using.
Of course. his left hand. 1t turned ont
that each of these strokes reached the
heart
For what seemed hours, but was no
doubt only IL few seconds, man and
beast stood facing each other the lat
ter silent and the former, with some
hazy idea of the power of the human
voice shouting out every abusive word
that rose to his tongue The tension
was relieved by the lion turning and
walking slowly away to spot some
thirty yards distant, where. after
swaying for moment, 1t fell heavily
to the ground, emitted few groan>
and Nv nirod