Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1912-11-26
CAUGHT BY A LION
Fearful Adventure With a South
African Man Eater.
FLUNG RIGHT INTO ITS JAWS.
Ordeal OF q Transvaal Ranger Who
Mas Pitched Over His Horses Head
Only to Be Gripped In Midair by the
Savage Brute-The Dramatic Finish.

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Only TO Be Gripped In Midair by the
Savage Brute-The Dramatic Finish.
III any one Is eager for adventure
hunting lions In their native JungIes
will offer him abundant opportunity.
Major j. Stevenson Hamilton in the
pages Of his book, Animal Life In
Africa" gives an account Of a terrible
experience that II Of his fellow ran
gers OF the Transyaal game reserve
bad with a lion.
In August, 1903. he was returning
from a 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 to 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 a path by the side OF a recd
bordered stream. accompanied only by
his big dog Bill.
AS be rode through the dry bed of
the creek, where the path crossed 1t in
one Of its wtndings. he saw something
move out of the reeds and melt away
into the darkness ahead. A few yards
farther on the dog rushed forward.
barking. and again an indistinct form
moved away. Supposing this to be a
buck Of some kind. the ranger rode on
without taking any special notice of
the incident. but q 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 a
reed buck when he became conscious
that 1t was no antelope. but a lion In
the act OF c%rouching for q spring.
Pulling his horse sharp to the right
juStRs the lion rushed. he caused the
latte 3partially to miss his mark. but
his Ga VS. tore down the horses quar-
ters. and the frightened animal. max
ing Il terrified leap forward. shot its
rider over Its right shoulder straight
into the jaws Of a second lion. which
had been coming up from behind.
Horse. man and rife all went in diff
ferent directions. The horse made of
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 lion seemed to catch him In
midair.
The first thing he realized was that
IT was trotting off with him down the
nafb, no uac hald Grvnlu hu Tho rfnh<
shoulder. and. lying on his back. his
face was on a level with the brute's
neck. while his legs were dragging
along under its belly.
1t was a desperate predicament, and
as soon as he was able to collect his
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, be presently began to
cast about for some method Of sa wing
himself.
The mind works quickly In such
cases, and suddenly he remembered his
s~heathknife, 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 1t out. he
bent all his energy on holding 1t tight
and awaited a favorable opportunity.
Fot$lne favorS the brave. and the
after going with him about $50 yards.
laid him down under a 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 a
vital spot. he struck a couple Of back
handed blows with all his force. using,
Of course, his left hand. 1t turned out
that each Of these strokes reached the
heart.
For what seemed hours. but vas no
doubt only a 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 a spot some
thirty yards distant, where. after
swaying for a moment. ii fell heavily
10 the ground, emitted a few groans
and expired.