Jasper County Democrat, Volume 2, Number 42, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 January 1900 — Adventure with a Lion. [ARTICLE]

Adventure with a Lion.

In his work on the "Zoology of Persia,” Major St. John describes a «tlirllling adventure with a Hon. The Major was riding down the hill leading to the plain of Desht-i-arjeen, on the road to Shiraz, when suddenly lie saw a lioness some thirty yards in front. Having only a small revolver, he cracked his whip and shouted at her, thinking she would bolt. The lioness charged, sprang and eame down under his foot. With so small a pistol it would have been useless to fire, so he spurred his horse, which, however, would not move. The lioness stood on her hind legs and began clawing the horse's hindquarters. The Major leaped to the ground, but not before getting one scratch from the brute’s claw. The horse plunged and reared, knocking over the Donees on one side, and the man on the other, and then bolted. The lioness stood staring at the horse. St John then fired two shots over her head to frighten her, but without effect; she sprang again on the horse’s hindquartera, and both were lost to view. St. John made bls way to a small hamlet not far distant, where he spent the night The next morning the horse was -found quietly grazing. Hi* quarter* and flank* were scored in every, direction with claw-marks, and one wound was . so deep that it bad to be sewed up. In a week the horse was as well a* ever, but he bore the scars for the rest of his life. An unconfirmed rumor never live* more than forty-eight hour*.