In the parts where he was teaching, the lions were
very troublesome, and would come by night and seize cattle. Sometimes
even they would venture into the gardens and carry off women and
children. So the people got together an expedition to go and hunt the
lions, and Livingstone joined them. After they had been on the track
for some time, and several lions had escaped owing to the fright of
the natives, Livingstone saw one sitting on a rock about thirty yards
off. He took careful aim and fired both barrels of his gun, wounding
it badly.
The people thought it was, dead, and were going towards it, but
Livingstone made them keep back and began reloading. Before he had
finished, the lion sprang upon him, caught him by the shoulder, and
began shaking and tearing him so badly that he was utterly overcome.
Two persons who tried to help him were bitten by the lion. But just
when it looked as if the missionary's life had reached its last day,
the lion suddenly fell down dead from the effect of the bullets which
he had fired into it.
Four years after he had been in Africa he married Mary Moffat, the
missionary's daughter.
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