Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-05-25

pened. Exactly as if it had been staged.
planned and timed for me the old lion walked
deliberately into the open 200 yards away to q
small tree with dense shade. There he stood
gazing out on the veldt at a small herd OF
wildebeeSt, doing under small thorn bushes.
He had an impressively fine dark name
HE big lion. You take picture, Bwana?
You shoot?" asked Bill, all tensed with sup
pressed excitement. "You think he has good
name, Bill?" Carl asked. in Difference to Bill.
1t was Bills day, we both remembered. Eyes,
mazuri (good). He kubwa sana Every big) ;"
jerked out Bill. "Memsahib's hon,' said Carl
as we crawled forward to a fair shooting range
Bill handed me my .275 Hoffman and Carl
covered the lion with the ATS. Shoot when
you are ready Carl said very quietly. Con-
scieus Of a new sensation in my fingers pulled,
and the lion bounded back 20 yards, and stood
facing us. At my second shot the lion took q
nose dive in the veldt, lit ON his back with his
feet in the air and lay silent. We approached
cautiously Bill walked toward the lion with
my little gun. Don't get between me and the
lion!" Carl shouted. The wise hunter knew
from experience how easy it IS for dead" lion
suddenly to come to life. Bill cautiously threw
rocks at the lion. No response. And as final
test touched his eyeballs with long stick
There was not even q reflex.
The lion measured nine feet six inches from
tip to tip and weighed about ATS pounds. His
coat was q dark silvery gray; his name. silver
gray with deep. full frill Of black-the brush
on his tail was jet black. His face above his
eyes was grayish white. He had evidently been
In battle as recently as that morning. one
hind leg was deeply cut: his upper lip was
bleeding; both nostrils were freshly scratched,
and there were three or four smaller wounds
higher up on his face
He was probably 10 or IL years old. -Four of
his incisors and one bicuspid were missing His
stomach. although of capacity SUFFICIENT to
contain half zebra, was entirely empty
Further observation of his alimentary tract
showed that he had probably not eaten for
three days When first saw him he was
doubtless about to lie up until the heat of the
day should have passed and then make his kill.
The finding of these lions in Bills country,
so apparently unmolested and mafraid was q
discovery which Carl wanted to share with
Martin Johnson so that permanent record of
these lions in motion picture might be made
Accordingly. second trip to the valley was
mace the following day, and there not far from
my "Silvery Simba's" last stand Bill showed
them a colony of II lions, IA of which were
massed in one big family.
CARL toook the wheel Of Johmson's camera
car and by skillful manipulation got him in
excellent camera range of the big group where
he made hitherto undreamed-of records Of
peaceful lions in their home
First, four grouped themselves on an ant hill.
observing us carefully, and nine more Watching
us from the other side of the donga through q
himsy screen Of grass. Not one manifested
sign of anger or of fear-only wonder and
curiosity. As a reward for posing for us we
gave them zebra for their supper.
The next day Carl drove johnson and his
camera up to within IS feet Of group of IL.
which in the middle of the afternoon we found
lined up In a row, this time on our side of the
donga, quietly watching herd of zebra out ON
the plains. AS we approached, three that were
little hidden by the grass moved nearer and out
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