The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1912-05-24

after a short time in captivity. 1t often happens
this way.
A party of us went out one Sunday after lions
ana adopted the novel method Of riding them
down on pony-back. We had not been out long
peiefe we put up" a big tawny fellow and imme.
dlately gave chase. There were four of us In
the party and We soon rounded the lion up in
fine shape. While one of us fired at him in the
open pain with a revolver, wounding him badly,
ne 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 I'M
usual situation. One man rode in close and fired
at him with a revolver. The lion was wounded
MORALLY for the second time, but sprang saw
agely 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 so
saved his life, but unfortunately our efforts were
unavailing, for, after living through an agony
of torture for a week or more, he died from gan
creme poisoning.
That 1t the first and only case where the hunt
ers have suffered from this new and invigorating
form of sport, 1t beats pig sticking as an excit-
ing form Of sport and is infinitely more eneryat-
Ing than shooting lions by approved methods of
hunting. There is something in the wild ride
and the attendant risk which is altogether fasci-
uhtiuS anu lTTeSlSltDl6 lUT mOSI iuSD WHU nave
once tried this method of lion-hunting.
Quite a number of lions have fallen victims
in the field as the result Of this new 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 rifle by the accepted form of
Staying.
l was in the Sotik country one day, trailing
out to inspect q detachment OF my force, who
rva.a 80 -.&--zA IAx 7 r~- 1o. M mr.
hours march ahead Of my porters and escort and,
It being very hot, I decided to sit and rest until
my caravan came up with me. I saw a large and
shady bush a short distance from my trail and
decided that this would be a very suitable spot
to rest. l went over to It and threw myself UNI
der Its welcome shade. Then ! took a satisfy
ing drink from my waterbottle and filled my
pipe. | must have sat there for over an hour,
smoking and thinking of what ! should do when
l 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 as they approached they began
to sing Justify. Suddenly from behind me some
thing big moved. There was an ~instant's swish
ing of the grass and the cracking Of twigs and
then, 10 and behold, a big black-maned 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.
I do not know to this day what had really
happened, but I suspect that the lion had been
asleep in the shade on the other side Of the bush,
as unaware of my presence as | was of his. 1t
was certainly a remarkable experience and a
l~aughable one, although, in all conscience, 1t
might have ended very differently. My native
porters and servants were 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 I had known
of the proximity of this wonderfully fine speci-
men, I should certainly not have sat down and
smoKas5 SO unconcernedly beside the thorn-bush.
At Muhoroni station in the Nyando valley.
near Lake Victoria, in W. ia,ter par . lsoa !
taking a stroll out fror the camp When the
sun had cooled off in the ey"ening. ! knew .nat
no lions were ever seen in ths Vicinity anu .
not bother to take a gun WIN me Wy sport
ing little fox-terrier, "Micky Lcooan' kept "e
/ turned my footsteps toward a ""A eSea"
about a mile and a half from the camp. on -
'ival at the banks of the almost drle vi
stood for a while watching a young re ouon
.,amboling with its mother. Micky Doolan Snasea
imaginary rats with deep content Suddenp 'e