Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-09-27
Crippled BY A LION
LivingStone's Fearful Ordeal and
His Narrow Escape.

David Livingstone, the famous AfF:-
can explorer and missionary. once had
a singular encounter with a wounded
lion that almost put an end to the ex-
plorer's remarkable career before it
had fairly begun. But the story must
be unfamiliar to many persons who
have never read DR.. LivingstoDe's |
books. The adventure occurred while |
he was living among the Bakatlas. not |
far from the present town of Mafc- |
king. This account is from his own |
narrative:
The people of Mabotsa were trou- |
bled by lions. which leaped into the |
cattle pens by night and destroyed |
their milk and draft animals. They |
even attacked the herds boldly by day !
light, and although several expeditions |
against the wild beasts were planned !
the people had not the courage to car
~ them through successfully
1t is well known that if one in q
troop of lions is killed the others leave |
that part of the country. l therefore
went out with the people to help them
destroy one of the marauders. We
found the animals on small hill COW
cred with trees. The men formed
round it in a circle and gradually
closed up. Being below on the plain
with a native schoolmaster named Ma
balwe. l saw one of the lions sitting
on piece of rock. Mabalwe fired at
him, and the ball hit the rock. The
lion bit at the spot as dog does at a
stick or stone thrown at him, and then.
leaping away. broke through the cir
Gle and escaped. The Bakatlas ought
to have speared him in his attempt to
get out, but they were afraid.
When the circle was reformed We
saw two other lions in it. but dared
not fire lest we should shoot some of
the people. The beasts burst through
the line, and as it was evident the men
could not face their foes we turned
back toward the village.
In going round the end of the hill
] saw a lion sitting on piece of rock,
about thirty yards off, with a little
bush in front of him took good aim
at him through the bush and fred both
barrels.
The men called out. He is shot. he
is shot" Others cried. LET US go to
him.
saw the lions tail erect in anger
and said. stop a little till l load
again" ! was in the act of ramming
down the bullets when | heard a
shout. and, looking half round. saw
the lion in the act of springing at me.
He caught me by the shoulder. and
We both came to the ground together.
! Growing horribly. he shook me as
terrier dog does a rat. The shock pro-
! duced stupor like that felt by a
mouse in the grip of the cat. 1t caused
a sort Of dreaminess, in which there
was no sense of pain or feeling of ter
! ror. although | was quite conscious OF
what was happening This placidiy
| IS probably produced in all animals
| killed BIZ the carnivOra. and. If so. it is
a merciful provision of the Creator for
lessening the pain of death.
AS he had one paw on the back or
/ my head. l turned round to relieve my
directed to Mabalwe. who was aiming
at him from distance of ten or ff-
teen yards. The gun missed fire in
both barrels. The animal Immediately
left me to attack him and bit his
thigh. Another man. whose life l had
saved after he had been tossed by 6
buffalo. tried to spear the lion. upon
which lie turned from Malalwe. and
seized this fresh foe by the shoulder.
At that moment the bullets the beas.
had received took effect. and he fell
| down dead. The whole was the work
of a few moments and must have
been his paroxysm of dying rage In
order to take out the charm from him
the Bakatlas on the following day
made a huge bonfire over the carcass,
which was declared to be the largest
ever seen.
Besides crunching the bone into
splinters, eleven of his teeth had pen
etrated the upper part of my arm. The
bite of a lion resembles a gunsho:
wound. 1t is generally followed by q
great deal of sloughing and discharge
and ever afterward pains are felt pc
riodically in the part. ! had on tar
tan jacket, which l believe wiped OF
the virus from the teeth that pierced
the flesh. for my two companions If
the ARRAY have both suffered from ths
usual pains, while have escaped with
, only the inconvenience of false JONI
in my limb.