THE adventures of Sir Edmund Lechmere in Africa were recounted in the Malvern Gazette a century ago.

Sir Edmund, of the Hanley Castle family, had visited Somaliland three times for sporting purposes and in his most recent visit, accompanied by his wife, encountered a man-eating lion.

Hearing that the beast had carried off a man from a karia or native village, he said: "I at once mounted and rode to the village and got on the track after some difficulty.

"We were accompanied by three mounted men, whom I had engaged to assist, and, of course, by a mob of howling, yelling Somalis.

"After some hours' tracking, we put up two lions, one a magnificent brute, with a black mane. Owing to the density of the bush, it was quite impossible to get a shot, but my three mounted Somalis set off in pursuit and eventually cornered the lion in a piece of thick jungle.

"Getting off my pony, I took my double .577 and walked the lion up.... I dropped him with a .577 bullet through the neck. He proved to be a heavy thick-set beast and, though not the largest I have shot, had the best mane I have ever seen on a Somaliland lion."

Sir Edmund went on to encounter a second lion, which had been doing a deal of damage to the local cattle and camels.

He and his wife had to hide out during an all-night vigil for the lion, a procedure which Sir Edmund declared he was philosophically opposed to.

"I cannot say I either like or admire this form of lion shooting and I am glad to still be able to say I have never killed a lion over a bait.... I have too great respect for the king of beasts to care to shoot him except in the open, where he has a chance."

The vigil was none too comfortable physically, either. "I do not know when I have passed such a wretched night.... between the bites of the ants and bitterly cold night, I heartily wished myself back in the camp."

It was not until dawn was imminent that the lion appeared. "He took care to keep well out of shot. Round and round the brute paced for three-quarters of an hour, and at last gave a sullen roar and was seen no more," said Sir Edmund, not greatly worried by the failure of the hunt.