The Lion and the Elephant. Charles John Andersson
Mecaoud and his friend Ali-ben-Braham, who ran to his as- sistance. The lioness, however, instead of attack- ing the sheik, who was mounted, rushed upon his nephew, who was on foot.
"This man bravely awaited her approach, and did not pull the trigger until the muzzle of his gun touched the beast.
"The piece merely flashed in the pan!
"Mecaoud threw down his gun, and presented to the lioness his left arm, enveloped in his bour- nous.
"The beast seized hold of his arm and crushed it into a pulp. The brave young man, without re- treating a single step, and without uttering a com- plaint, drew a pistol from under his bournous, and lodged two balls in the lioness's belly, which com- pelled her to let go her hold.
"In another moment she rushed upon Ali-ben- Braham, who sent a ball, though without much effect, between her distended jaws. He was seized by the shoulder and thrown to the ground. His right hand is crushed, several of his ribs are laid
THE LION.
bare, and he owed his life solely to the death of the lioness, which expired on his body."
"Ali-Ben-Braham," Gérard goes on to say, " lives still, but is a cripple. Mecaoud died twenty- four days subsequent to the above rencontre."
"After a coup of the above nature," observes General Dumas, when speaking of depriving the mother of her offspring in the manner alluded to, the whole country must be on their guard. For seven or eight days together the lion traverses the district in every direction, and all the while his roarings are atrocious. He has become terrible. It will not then be prudent to meet him."
CHAPTER IV.
DARING OF THE LION SENTINEL CARRIED OFF BY A LION— TERRIBLE TRAGEDY—TWO FORMIDABLE "MAN-EATERS"— BUSHMAN KILLED BY A LION—UNSUCCESSFUL PURSUIT OF A "MAN-KILLER"—BENEFIT CONFERRED ON THE CHILDREN OF THE DESERT BY THE DEATH OF THE LION—APPALLING CATAS- TROPHE—IRRUPTION OF A LION INTO A KRAAL—DARING SHOT OF A LION-HUNTER—AUDACITY OF THE LION.
B
UT it is not only during the breeding season, and when the cubs are small, that the lion shows a bold front to the enemy, for at other times, more especially in the night season, he frequently exhibits a decree of courage and audacity that almost exceeds belief.
"The waggons and cattle had been put up for the night," says the Landrost, Jah Steneberg, in de- scribing a journey of his into the interior, "when about midnight the cattle suddenly got into complete confusion. About thirty paces from the tent Mood a lion, which on seeing us walked away deliberately about thirty paces farther, behind a small thorn- bush, carrying something with him which I look to be a young ox. We fired more than sixty shots at the bush. The south-east wind blew strong, the sky was clear, and the moon shone very brightly, so that we could perceive anything at short dis-
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THE LION.
tance. After the cattle had been quieted again, and I had looked over everything, I missed the sentry before the tent. We called as loudly as possible, but in vain, nobody answered, from which I con- cluded, he was carried off. Three or four men then advanced very cautiously to the bush, which stood right opposite the door of the tent, to see if they could discover anything of the man; but retired helter-skelter, for the lion, who was still there, rose up and began to roar.
"About a hundred shots were again fired at the bush, without our perceiving anything of the beast. This induced one of the men again to approach it with a firebrand in his hand, but as soon as he neared the bush, the lion roared terribly, and leaped at him, on which he threw the firebrand at the animal, and the other people having fired about ten shots at him, he returned immediately to his former station.
"The firebrand which the man had thrown at the lion had fallen in the midst of the bush, and favoured by the wind, it began to burn with a great flame, so that we could see very clearly into it, and through it. We continued our firing into it. The night passed away, and the day began to break, which animated everyone to fire at the lion, because he could not bo there without exposing himself entirely. Seven men posted at the farthest waggons watched to take him as he came out. At last, before it became quite light, he walked up the hill with the man in his mouth, when about forty shots were fired without hitting him. He persevered in retaining
TERRIBLE TRAGEDY.
his prey amidst fire and shots, and amidst it all carried it securely off."
"When the day was more advanced," the Land- rost further informs us, "the lion was tracked to his lair and killed whilst lying over the mangled re- mains of the poor sentinel."
Scenes of a similar nature to the above have occurred on two several occasions, in the encamp- ment of my friend, Frederick Green. The par- ticulars of the first is from his journal, kindly placed by him at my disposal.
"October 21, 1858. Last night, a terrible tragedy was enacted in my cattle-fold by two daring lions. The night was intensely dark, with occasional rain; and, fearing lions might select such a night to sur- prise their prey, I sat up watching until a late hour. I had just lain down, remarking to my friend that, in case of a visit from these brutes, the oxen would give the alarm, when on a sudden there arose an awful scream, followed by a death-like groan, such as I shall never forget; the very recollection of it chills my blood. Two lions had entered the enclosures, and succeeded in carrying away a poor fellow, whom they tore to pieces and devoured within a short distance of our camp. We neither could nor dared attempt a rescue. The unfortunate man was lying in his hut, with his wife and two little children, when one of the monsters forced his way through from the back, and seized him, at the same time inflicting two wounds upon the woman. Tho poor wretch, in his hurried exit, had evidently, in endeavouring to save himself, laid hold of the poles
THE LION.
of the hovel, for the whole back part of the tene- ment was carried away.
"On making the terrible discovery, a scene ensued which defies description, and which must have been seen to be fully realized. Of course, sleep was afterwards out of the question ; and, in order to guard as far as possible against a similar occurrence, we kept up a constant discharge of firearms during the remainder of this woful night.
"This morning, as soon as it was light enough to see, we took up the spoor of the lions, and, within about 200 yards of the kraal, discovered the spot where it was evident the poor man had been destroyed and devoured. The belt he had worn round his waist was alone left to tell of his dreadful fate, though in following up the trail some parts of his leg-bones were afterwards found. We chased the brutes for about twelve miles, when we were compelled to relinquish the pursuit, without having obtained a shot at them without, indeed, having caught more than one glimpse of them in the distance. I much regretted having started with- out my horse, which, though useless as a hunter, would undoubtedly have taken me sufficiently near to get a shot, and to lead the pack of dogs up to the enemy."
On the second day after the fatal accident, I should add, Mr. Green bid farewell to the dreadful place, thinking thereby to get rid of his terrible foes; but they followed on his "spoor;" and on the evening of the third day one of the " man- eaters" once more entered his enclosures. On this
FEARFUL CATASTROPHE.
occasion, however, the horrid monster passed by the oxen without molesting them, and entered the sheep kraal and carried off one of its inmates, putting the remainder to flight. " What with the screechings of the terrified women and children," writes my friend, "the hallooings of the men, the rush of the cattle and the sheep, firebrands whizzing through the air, the discharge of the firearms, the growls of the lions, and other discordant noises, the scene was one which baffles description. I levelled my rifle at the marauder as he was passing the waggon, not above five paces distant; but my gun unfor- tunately missed fire, and, when I again pulled the trigger, he had disappeared in the darkness. This lion was almost immediately joined by his com- panion, when they set up a roaring