A LION STORY.

Colonist, Volume LII, Issue 12718, 14 February 1910, Page 1

A LION STORY.

In Colonel J. H. Patterson's latest book oji African sport the following is, given : —

"An assistant of one of the game ivurd'Ciis in fcjouth Africa was riding nome at dusk through a game reserve when a. Jiou suddenly sprang at Jiini out of the bushes, Knocking him oil Jiis pony and so terrifying the latter tliat lie galloped madly off pursued by the iierco beast. The man was picking himself up when another lion pounced on him, gripping him through the shoulder. The game ranger was dazed for a few moments by the shock, but when lie came to his senses he found himself being carried oil in the maw of the lion, whose long tusks met through his right shoulder, rendering his right arm useless.

"As he was being dragged off in this fashion, with Jiis heels trailing on the ground and giving himself up for lost, he suddenly bethought him oi an old hunting knife he carried on his waistbelt at his right side. The knife was so loose in its sheath that it usually fell out on the least provocation, and even as tho ranger quietly doubled his left hand behind he had a hopeless feeling that it was gone. Imagine his joy when he felt the hilt in his desperate grip

In a moment the long keen blade was poised, and a blow, thrice rapidly repeated, at tlio lion's heart made him wonder what had hurt him. He dropped, his would-be victim, eyed him curiously for a second as he lay beneath him, and then staggered otf into the bush. The moment he was out of sight the ranger struggled to his feet, climbed a tree, and before he fainted strapped himself on to a branch with his belt. No sooner had he done so than lion number one appeared on the seen© again, having failed to, catch the pony. He remained at the foot of the tree until %he ranger's dog came up, and by his barking brought up some passing natives, who drove off the lion, and rescued the fainting man from the . "A brief search disclosed the dead body of the lion that had attached the ranger, stabbed to death through the heart. 1 '