Democratic Sentinel, Volume 13, Number 2, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 February 1889 — Encounter with a Lion. [ARTICLE]

Encounter with a Lion.

Thrilling was the escape of Lieutenant Frazer in his encounter with a lion at the base of the mountains of Lokinga, near Lake Bangwejlo, where Doctor Livingstone died. He was told by one of his attendants that a wounded lion was lying apparently dead on the root of a tree. Frazer sent the man with his second gun back a few paces, and knelt down to look Just then the lion roared and came at him from al out eighteen feet off. He fired when the lion was within six feet of him, giving him both barrels. The first shot knocked out the beast s right eye; the second hit him on the chest. The next instant Frazer found himself lying in front of the lion, one claw hooked in his right leg, the other on his chest. Fortunately the blood from the wounded eye obscured the lion's vision, and for an instant he hesitated, and in that interval the attendant fired at him. The lion jumped for the man and caught him by the leg, and Frazer promptly sprang to the resue. The gun, containing one charge, was lying within a yard of the lion, fortunately on his blind side, and Frazer crawled toward it. It was a fearful feat, but he finally laid his hand on the gun. As he did so, the lion turned his head, and Frazer fired, with the muzzle of the gun actually in the lion’s mouth. He eave but one kick and died, and Frazer fainted on the body of his attendant.