The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1857-08-26
Elephant Hunting.


ing good moonlight, to try what might be
done with the elephants by night-shooting
at the fountains, and | determined to
make Carey shoot with me, he using the
big rife of six to the pound, and | my
single-barreled two-grooved of eight to
the pound. In the forenoon we were oc-
cupied making very hard bullets and sort
ing our ammunition, &c., &C., for a
weeks expedition, and at midday we
started, followed by about sixty natives.
We crossed the Limpopo, and held about
east, right away through the forest, for
the fountain which 1 had visited on the
| Sth. On our line of march we found no
| fresh spoor the day was extremely hot.
and the shutting Bechuanas chose to lag
behind in the forest until they lost me
entirely, with the exception of three or
four, who kept up with Piet my after-rider,
carrying my gun, and leading "Filbert"
and Frochum," two of my best dogs.
| Not one of these men knew the country,
and they had no Bakalahari with them to
act as guides When reached the small
fountain which lies west of the famous
fountain for which was steering, 1 told
Piet to come on with the natives, and
that L would ride ahead to the large foun-
tain. | then galloped ahead, and made
the fountain on its lee side. On slowly
emerging from the thorny thicket through
| which L rode, | was astonshed to behold
two superb old bull elephants standing
before me in the open space between the
cover and the fountain. Both of them
carried enormous tusks one bull, howev-
er, was much taller and stouter than his
comrade; 1 had very rarely seen his
match, and his tusks at once took my eye
as being perhaps the finest had ever be-
held. Here, then, was L standing, with
out gun or dogs, and with a very jaded
steed, beside, as | afterward had good
reason to believe, the very best elephant
in all that district and in perhaps many
of the surrounding parts. | would have
given any thing at that moment for my
gun and dogs.
felt much perplexed what to do, but
at length resolved that it was best to hold
the elephants in my view, and in the event
of their being started to endeavor to
hold the larger bull in play, and hunt
him always back toward the fountain,
until assistance should arrive. 1t was
well that came to so shrewd a resolution,
for l had not stood sentry over them for
many minutes, when, some struggling par
ty having missed the fountain, and pass
ing to windward they suddenly tossed up
their trunks, and, snufing the tainted
gale, crashed past me down the wind at
top speed.
Now came the tug of war. l had no
child's play before me alone and unassis-
ted, and on very jaded steed, had re-
solved to endeavor what no two of my
men had ever accomplished for me.
had not only to stick by the elephant
wherever he chose to go, which was all
| required ofmy people when endeavoring
to assist me in my hunting, but l must al
SO drive him back and keep him by the
fountain, or else all my exertions would be
fruitless.
had very slight hope of success; but
he was well worthy of tough struggle,
and l determined that he should have it
thought what my feelings would be that
night by my freside if 1 let him escape,
and, on the other hand, how highly l
should prize his noble trophies if sue
ceeded. at once dashed after him and
separated him from his comrade. When
he found that | had the speed of him, he
turned at once upon me and charged fu-
riously back toward the fountain, after
which he tried to conceal himself among
the trees, and, having stood motionless for
come time with his head toward me, crash
ed away through the forest to the south
ward | soon headed him again, yelling
with all my mig ght. OF course another
charge followed: l eventually managed,
however, to drive him back close to the
fountain still, no assistance hove in sight.
My after-rider, though he had been there
before, had missed the fountain. 1t was
he and the natives with him who had
started the elephants they had crossed
the fountain to windward, and were wan
dering about with my gun and dogs
some miles beyond me.
1t were long to describe all the turns
and twists / had with this princely old
bull. l certainly did my duty, and stuck
by him like good old deer-hound by his
stag. AT length the elephant became ex-
tremely fierce, following up his charges
with most determined intent to crush me
and my steed, which, at first very much
jaded, was now so completely done up that
he could barely hold his own. myself
felt much exhausted, and my throat was be-
coming so sore and hoarse that my shout
ing was for the present nearing to a
close. In this state of things could not
have held him much longer. Help was,
however at hand, Carey and Mutchu-
isho, with large party Of the natives,
were at this moment carefully following up
the spoor of my horse where had first
ridden ahead to the fountain, and were
passing considerable distance to lee
ward Of where was at bay; or rather |
should say, baying, when my hoarse voice
fell on Carey's ear, and he instantly called
silence among the natives and sat listen
ing in his saddle. A second time my
voice fell on his ear, and he at once held
forward right for me, contrary to the
opinion of the thick headed natives, who