ENCOUNTER WITH A LIONESS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2389, 2 January 1909, Page 7

ENCOUNTER WITH A LIONESS.

A TERRIBLE CONFLICT

A Johannesburg resident recently returned from the Messina gave the “Transvaal Week 1 y Leader” an account of a terrible hand-to-hand combat with a lioness, which ended in the death of Trooper . Eagle, of the Transvaal police:— _ Eagle and a-companion, both on vhorseback, were travelling along the Wo ad over which some Dutchmen had previously passed. The latter had shot a lion cub, and the infuriated parents were following up the spoor witi’parho object of exacting revenge. Suddenly the lioness appeared in the roadway in front of Trooper Eagle and his companion, and gave evidence of her intentions by an angry roar. Trooper Eagle at once unslung his carbine and fired at her, striking her in the shoulder, at the same time try- - ing to get his horse to move. The poor animal, however, was. terrorstricken, and stood like a stone; whiletile other horse, with a snort of terror, turned tail and bolted. The shot from the carbine had no apparent effect upon the lioness, for ~ she came forward at full speed .and sprang upon Trooper Eagle, seizing him by the leg and dragging hirh to the ground. He fell upon his feet, and quick as lightning lie made a leap for the brute, twisting round upon her so as to get upon her back. He threw Ins right arm round her neck and then reached over her head,) thrust his first and second fingers up her nostrils, and pulled her head hack with all the '-force at his command. The brute screamed with rage at this unexpected counter-attack, and immediately set to work to, rid herself of her assailant. Then commenced what 'must hare been one of the most terrible combats in, the history of creation. For over half an hour man and 1 brute fought for mastery—lie with bare hands and she with terrible claws. _ Sometimes ho was underneath, ‘kicking at her stern.ach with his‘heavy boots, while „tilaftore huge lumps of flesh out or tiis thighs with her claws. _ Then he would struggle round again to her side and back and force her head hack, not that he really hoped to break her neck, but more with the natural instinct of keeping those terrible jaws in such a position that they could not touch him. , Time after time the brute got her teeth into him, as well as claws, and the marvel is that in suen an unequal conflict the brave. Canadian lasted so long. Bleeding from a score of wounds, with arms and legs • almost torn to pieces,, he was just on fhe point of collapse when, with, encouraging shouts, the Dutchmen Who had previously robbed the lioness or her cub, rushed upon the scene. . They had’ heard the faint report o file trooper’s carbine, and knowing y experience that the parents .would roilovv them up after shooting the cud, they were quick to apprehend true facts of the situation. Thev_ rushed back as fast as they could J : fc> some time before they came m ®ig of the ghastly fight they knew.what was happening by the agonising shrieks of Trooper Eagle and n equalh r terrifying roars-and .screams of pain and rage of the lioness, whose nostrils were almost torn out by the despairing grip of the man, who never once Lit go of the tender .cartilage, though fainting -and practically delirious from.the pain land loss or blood. • , The appearance of the Dutchmen and the discharge of a- bullet frigh-• ened the lioness, who, with one big, erfort, managed to free herself of the now exhaustetd man. Trooper Eagle dropped 'to the ground in an - unconKcioroa;. Condition., and the lioness made S&{%ut was quickly brought to the —Swiund with bullets and . killed outright. ,■' . . The unfortunate trooper, whose clothing was practically torn from him, and whose body was lacerated in the ‘inost horrible' manner, . was f ended