BEARDING THE LIONS

Evening Star, Issue 21753, 22 June 1934, Page 1

BEARDING THE LIONS

HARDY HUNTERS IK AFRICA “ I recall an Australian hunter—a member of the Queensland Legislature —who, since 1914 has made many trips to Africa. He generally spends about/ six months alone with the Bushmen, in one of the most desolate areas an ‘ the back of beyond.’ The first lion he ever shot mauled him severely, leaving him with his right arm permanently : crippled. But when I met him at the end of his last trip his bag included three big lions and three leopards. His methods of securing the lions shows a hardihood and nerve which few who had survived.such an experience as his first would exhibit. Pegging out a carcase on. the ground ' that it is - difficult to. drag away, he builds himself a shelter about Sf.t from it, and" waits alone through the night for the lion’s arrival. He sits in such close proximity in order to see his sights and make sure of killing, but one lion fell upon his shelter and ’ nearly destroyed it in the deathstruggle! The Australian detests the spectacular. He exhibits nerve to get the quarry, and for no other reason.” This is one of the paragraphs in art article by W. S. Chadwick, of South Africa, which appears in the April ntiraher of the ‘ Empire Review.’ Mr Chadwick writes of hardy and foolhardy hunters. The /Australian' hunter just mentioned (he is, of course, Mr Arnold WienHolt, M.L.A), is one of the hardy hunters. The following story of a Dane is a good example of the .foolhardy;— - “ Once he came upon four lions fao. ing him from across a donga (ravine)' about 100yds away. He could have left them alone or fired from where he stood. But in spits of native protests he walked up to within 50yds, and then sat down to shoot, while switching tails and angry growls showed the growing irritation of the lions. As his natives hastily climbed adjacent trees u lion and lioness fell to the first; two shots. Then the other pair charged, and he shot one in mid-air as she leapt the donga. Fortunately for him the other fell short, and was obliged to scramble up the bank. As his head appeared above it the reckless Dane shot him through the head, and he fell backward into the;donga. Four lions in four shots may be accounted a fine performance. But it was nevertheless a foolhardy one. Had the last lion succeeded in clearing the donga, or had the last shot missed, nothing could have saved him.” Later that Dane was hunting al wounded lioness. In spite of advice to the contrary he persisted in folio - ig the spoor through the long grass fe had hardly taken ten paces whev he tawny body of the 4,ioness i‘ led through the ,air, striking..him ..-nvu.,,.. before he could press the trigger His friend shot the beast through the cad, and when the body was dragged -side it was clear that the foolhardy hu er’s days were done at last. With stoj aril torn open, jugular vein severed, anc one arm bitten through, all thought of removal was out of the question. In teu minutes he was dead; the victim of an innate courage which years of immunity had intensified into contempt for danger. Mr Chadwick knew a Russian at Katauja, who also must be included among the foolhardy type. He had the bushcraft of a cat, and showed reckless courage. He would follow wounded" lions and buffaloes into cover, swim in croco-dile-infested rivers, and do other follies. ' But Nemesis overtook him, too, at last. Camped one night with'a young Dutch companion, he was awakened by a yelp and a scrambling sound out- . side his tent. Two. of his three dogs ... rushed into the tent growling uneasily, and he seized his acetylene lamp to go and investigate. Presently he and his. companion discovered the spoor of a big leopard at a spot where traces of blood and hair showed that the beast had made off with the third dog. The Russian insisted on taking the" spoor a,t once, armed with his shotgun. The natives and his Dutch companion tried to persuade him to wait for daylight, pointing out that the dog was already, dead, and that the risk was very great. But the dare-devil would not listen to argument, and when he started alone the Dutchman followed with the acetylene flare," as he walked ahead with the gun. Under the tall forest trees there m usually a plentiful undergrowth of short bush and tangled vegetation, and their camping environs were typical. They had proceeded about two hundred yards when, without warning, a yellow streak flashed upward from beneath dark.foil- . age, and the Russian staggered back with the head of the leopard .fastened to his throat. Two forepaws hooked themselves to his shoulders, and two, sets of hind claws fastened to his stomach. He dropped the useless gun, and seized theSdhroat of the brute, while the Dutchman set the lamp down and seized the fallen gun. But for‘a moment he could not use it on account of the danger of hitting his friend. Eventually he forced the muzzle under the leopard’s head while his throat was still held by the despairing grip of the almost senseless hunter. Then he fired, almost blowing the head from the body, But the Russian was dead..