The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1913-10-03

In Paroxysm of Dying Rage,
Caught the Explorer In His Jaws and
Shook Him as Terrier Would Rat.
David Livingstone, the famous Afri-
can explorer and missionary, once had
a singular encounter with d wounded
lion that almost put an end TO the ex-
plorer's remarkable career before 1t
had fairly begun. But the story must
be unfamiliar TO many persons who
have never read DR.. Livingstone's
books The adventure occurred while
he was living among the Bakatlas, not
far from the present town of Mafe-
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
ry them through successfully.
1t is well known that if one in
troop of lions is killed the others leave
that part of the country. | therefore
went out with the people to help them
destroy one of the marauders. We
found the animals on Il small hill COW
cred with trees. The men formed
round it in circle and gradually
closed up. Being below on the plain
with a native schoolmaster named Ma
balwe saw one of the lions sitting
on a piece of rock Mabalwe fired at
him, and the ball hit the rock. The
lion bit at the spot as q dog does at
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 lion sitting on a piece of rock.
about thirty yards off, with a little
bush in front Of him. | took good aim
at him through the bush and fired both
barrels.
The men called out, He is shot. he
is shotr' Others cried, "Let us go to
himr
l saw the lions tail erect in anger
and said, stop a little till load
again" l was in the act of ramming
down the bullets when | heard
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 a stupor like that felt by
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 placidity
is probably produced in all animals
killed by the carniyora. 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 of
my head. | turned round to relieve my
self of the weight and saw his eyes
directed to Mabalwe. who was aiming
at him from a distance of ten or fif-
teen yards The gun missed fire in
both barrels The animal Immediately
thigh Another man. whose life | had
saved after he had been tossed by a
buffalo, tiled to spear the lion, upon
which be turned from Mabalwe, and
seized this fresh foe by the shoulder.
At that moment the bullets the beast
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 huge bonfire over the carcass,
which was declared to be the largest
ever seen.
Besides crunching the bone into
spinters, eleven of his teeth had pen
etrated the upper part of my arm. The
bite Of a lion resembles a gunshot
wound. 1t is generally followed by a
great deal Of sloughing and discharge,
and ever afterward pains are felt pc
riodicaily in the part | had on tar
| ran Jacket which | believe wiped off
| the virus from the teeth that pierced
ihe flesh. for my two companions in
the affray have both suffered from the
usual pains. while have escaped with
only the inconvenience of false joint
In my limb.
OId China