Hurrying To The Place At Daylight I
Found That One Of The Lions Had Jumped Over The
Newly Erected Fence
And had carried off the
hospital bhisti (water-carrier), and that several
other coolies had been unwilling witnesses of
the
Terrible scene which took place within the
circle of light given by the big camp fire. The
bhisti, it appears, had been lying on the floor,
with his head towards the centre of the tent and
his feet neatly touching the side. The lion
managed to get its head in below the canvas,
seized him by the foot and pulled him out. In
desperation the unfortunate water-carrier clutched
hold of a heavy box in a vain attempt to prevent
himself being carried off, and dragged it with
him until he was forced to let go by its being
stopped by the side of the tent. He then caught
hold of a tent rope, and clung tightly to it until
it broke. As soon as the lion managed to get
him clear of the tent, he sprang at his throat and
after a few vicious shakes the poor bhisti's
agonising cries were silenced for ever. The
brute then seized him in his mouth, like a huge
cat with a mouse, and ran up and down the
boma looking for a weak spot to break through.
This he presently found and plunged into,
dragging his victim with him and leaving shreds
of torn cloth and flesh as ghastly evidences of
his passage through the thorns.
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