The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-08-17
ADVENTURE EASY
TO FIND IN AFRICA
Terrible Experience of {
Railway Man With
Wounded Lion

Harrismth. S. A., August 16.-(Special)
F. c crawley, an employe of the Ma
gadi railway and stationed at Mile 35,
went out in search of adventure, being
accompanied by a native boy. He was
armed with b. s. A. .303 magazine sport
ing rife and a Browning automatic pis-
toll When at mile two, and quarter of
mile from the railway, he proceeded to
climb a small hill studded with bolders.
and on reaching the crest he observed
large lion sitting upon its launches un-
der tree about 15O yards distant He
fired, and saw the lion roll over dead
Thereupon five Others which had not
been observed and were probably asleep,
made their appearance under the tree and
began to walk round it. Mr.. Crawey
| fired at second lion as it was in the act
| OF climbing on to a rock. and as it re-
ceiyed the bullet it rolled over on it's
, back, cawing in the air. Mr. Crawley
| then attempted to bring down his third
! prize, and taking careful aim at the last
of the remaining four-whicn were scat
tered-he wounded it. The lion apparent
| ly had not seen Mr.. Crawley, but made
| towards the sound of the rifle. A second
and third shot followed, both of which
took effect, but did not kill, and-the lion
which was now aware of his pursner' s
whereabouts, charged, but was brought
down finally with the Browning pistol
only three yards from Mr.. Crawley. The
remaining three lions had in the mean
time disappeared over the kopje.
Seeing a r.smber of boys in the valley
below, Mr.. Crawley enlisted their services
to carry the dead lions to camp, but on
proceeding to the tree he found that one
of them tthe second shoD had disap-
peared. Leaving the boys to attend to
the other two. he, accompanied by a ma
tive, instituted a search for the wounded
beast, but was unsuccessful in locating it,
and proceeded to camp for luncheon.
Having gone only some 200 yards away
he was startled by the roar of the lion
which had emerged from a small bush
not u feet distant. The lion Immediately
charged Mr.. Crawley managed to get
in a shot in the chest, which, however
failed to bring down the beast, and in
another instant was in the lions jaws.
He endeavored to force the barrel of his
rifle down his assailant's s throat but it
was brushed aside by a sweep of the
paw, and he found himself in a sitting
posture, having fallen backwards against
a rock. Standing with his front paws
on Mr.. Crawleys legs the lion bit him
on the right arm from the shoulder down
wards, and on the left hand. tearing the
flesh only slightly on the right wrist;
then it stubbornly left him and stag
gered back to the bush, evidently feeling
death approaching. Mr. Crawley was un-
able to use his pistol, as it was jammed
between himself and the rock.
Having pulled himself together he called
the boy-who had made off-and with the
assistance of the other natives went in
search of the lion, which was found in
the bush above referred to, quite dead
MIR. Crawley does not think the lions at
tack upon him could have lasted more
than a few seconds, but to him it seemed
eternity. Fear came to him, he states,
after the knowledge that he was safe and
had had most miraculous escape from
the jaws of DEATH
None of his wounds are very serious
and this he attributes to the fact that he
was wearing a very stout Khaki shirt
which was buttoned at the wrists, and to
the fact that the lion was so severely
wounded that he had very little strength
in his paws He is now recovered and
back at work again on the railway. The
three lions were fine specimens, but were
very thin. and apparently had had little
or nothing to eat for some time