Evening star., 1936-08-30
August 80. 1896

l had no gun - nothing but pocket
knife. had never felt so utterly help
less in my life. The lioness was gaunt.
no doubt hungry. / could look beneath
her body and see that she had cubs
and had been nursing them very
recently
Perhaps it is just as we'll l didn't
have gun. might have made
desperate grab for it and signed my
own death warrant. The seconds
passed like centuries. Every now and
then the big cat would turn her head
and look off into the basin. She was
looking for her cubs, no doubt. Had
they accompanied her this story might
never have been written from my
point Of view.
l thought OF all the stories l had
read about lions finding men asleep
and covering them with leaves and
sticks before going for their cubs.
But the men always awoke before the
lion returned and usually killed the
lion. l had always doubted those
stories. but now it looked as if the
lioness might be searching for some
thing with which to cover me- There
was nothing available except snow,
however. as my body almost COM
pletely covered the dry spot and the
pine needles there.
After what seemed ages, the lioness
appeared satisfied. turned and walked
off down the hill about ten feet, then
stopped and looked back Had she
turned to come back would have
gotten up and defended myself as best
! could with my pocket knife. But she
had evidently gone for her cubs. in
tending to return and treat them to a
banquet.
But even if she had returned and
found me still there in the frozen
state Of the fear first knew. she would
hardly have evened up the score for
the lions - for had been responsible
for the death of 3O8 lions.
waited a minute or two after she
had gone. and then back-tracked to
my car. Along the way | secured a
club from an old dead treetop. Further
on. discarded the dead stick for a
small oak fence post.
At the car l took out the % auto
matte in the side pocket, the same
weapon had killed jaguar with in
hand-to-hand encounter. But my
nerves were shattered. l couldn't
fancy taking another chance with
small pistol. had to have a more
powerful gun.
drove back to the village. l had
come out on ice. but now it was thaw-
ing and the road was like grease until
reached the main highway.
didn't stop to talk to any one.
wanted that lioness and her cubs as
evidence before talked. was in too
big hurry even to stop and put on
chains for the return trip. About half
way between the highway and
Lockett Lake. slipped off into deep
rut and stuck tight. must have been
all of an hour getting out of that mud
hole, and was more than two hours
making the round trip.
At last l parked the car in the same
tracks and almost the exact spot
where l had left it earlier in the day.
I started to get out and stopped on
the running board - for l saw the
tracks of the lioness and three large
cubs right up to and all around where
l was parked.
That trip to town for my rifle had
been the most foolish thing l could
have done. Had l stayed in the car
and waited for the lioness to trail me,
l could easily have killed her with the
pistol. and perhaps the cubs also.
The tracks led south toward Red
Butte. a mountain which stands off
alone among the cedars and is favor
ito r,laro for 1oor J,,r:z~ A.. :