Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1914-07-30
Often NEAR DEATH

F. c. Selous, king of big-game hunt
ers, has survived hundred close
brushes with death.
He spent one thrilling night with
five lions proving round his frail
shelter of saplings. Three of the lions
he shot. with the blast Of their hot
breath in his very face, in crowded
and glorious five minutes. But he has
never had a narrower escape than
when a wounded elephant charged
him near the UmtaI river.
In vain he spurred his horse; the
poor beast was too worn out to gal-
lop. Mr.. Selous heard two blood-curd-
ling screams over his head AIS
uri' he thought and then the tusk
of the elephant crashed with terrific
force into his horses rear, and he was
dashed to the ground.
Although stunned by the fall, he
says, Il felt that | was unhurt; but
the smell of the elephant was very
strong. and no wonder, for the huge
animal WIS kneeling on me!
Fortunately, was thrown under
its body, had / been in front of the
forelegs l should never have lived to
tell the tale. | wrenched myself
loose, wrsggled out from underneath
and escaped into the bush, with nc
more damage than bruised eye and
stiff neck"
A still more thrilling experience
was that of Mr. Greenfield, in Somalf-
land, just a score of years ago, when
he was charged by wounded lion.
A couple Of barrels fired in his face
failed to check the lion; and Mr.
Greenfield says, over we went to
gether. He had seized my left hand,
and. planning me down with paw on
my chest, began to chew at my arm.
Then he made grab at my stomach.
and when | managed to turn over on
my face / felt his claws go into my
back
Although Mr.. Greenfeid's arm was
broken In two places he never felt
the siigh test pain. And that he felt.
he tells Us was the lions hot breath
on his f@ce, and the blood pouring
from his arm on to his thigh. For
tunateiy at this critical moment, a
well-aimed shot from one of his men
killed the monster
Lord Hindlip never looked death
more closely in the face than one day
In 1904, when hunting in British East
Africa. A wounded licness was
charging through the long grass.
Waiting until she was within few
feet he says. II fred and jumped
aside As / did so, her body hit me,
and found myself, stunned and
dazed, sitting up several yards away.
wondering If my last shot had been
successful 1t had; for. several yards
behind where | had stood, saw the
lioness biting the grass in her last
death-struggle."
When hunting in Somaliland Cap
tain George Campbell was similarly
bowled over by a wounded and
charging lion, and the next thing he
knew was that the lion was lying
across his legs pinning him down,
his huge head resting on his lap. An
instant later the captains head boy.
Kalindieh, rushed up, seated himself
astride on the animals back. and
flung his arms tightly round his neck
Z Luckily for both the lion was al
ready dying, and while Kalindieh was
imploring his master not to fire lest
he should be hit, "his majesty gave In.
lowered his head, and passed peace
fully away"
Major F. G. Jackson, the celebrated
arctic explorer, still recalls, with a
reminiscent shudder, his encounter
with a wounded bear in Franz-Josef
land. With fearful roar he says,
the bear rushed on me, his huge jaws
gaping wide; his warm breath was ON
my face, his cruel fangs glinted in the
dim, light.
"Half-blinded by the flash of the
rife in the darkness, thrust the bar
rel with all my force down the ami
malls throat"
He plunged his left hand into the
bears mouth up to the wrist; the
sharp teeth deeply bit into 1t; he
reeled under the shock of the collision.
Drawing back his rifle. he was about
to make a second thrust when, to his
amazement and delight, the bear, who
had clearly had enough, turned sharp
ly round, and made his way swiftly to
the water, crashing his way through
the lea and swimming to the safety
of a distant fine a hswers