Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes Co., O. [Ohio]) 1870-1895, 1872-04-04
Night in an African Tree.
BY A. W. DRAYSON.

Ii A. W INA iSoNs
Night is 4 favOrite time with almost
all wind animals for feeding or moving
about. Especially is this the case with
those African creatures which during
the day pass their time in forests or
caves. Elephants particularly select
the night for feeding, and they will
then quit their dense cover, and wan
der on plains where they would fear to
show themselves during daylight. On
more than one occasion we passed sew
eral hours Of the night concealed
among the branches of tree, in order
to have the opportunity of watching
the habits of some of those animals
whose nature it was to lie hidden dur
ing the day.
On the first occasion that we ever
tried this experiment, we had taken for
our companion friend, who was neith-
er gifted with patience nor with that en-
thusiasm which is necessary to render 4
night in tree pleasant change. We
remained in this tree some two hours,
our companion, by his frequent move
ments and the noise he made, rendering
it unlikely that we should see any ami
NAL whose hearing was acute. The
bright moonlight, however, that rem
ders everything by night almost as Wis
ible as by day, tempted us to venture
on other occasions to undertake night
adventures. And on more than one
night we were rewarded by witnessing
events that do not fail within the eX-
perlence of every person.
One night in particular we recall as
very interesting one. it WAS after an
afternoon ride near the bush down by
the ImvOti River, where we had seen
the fresh spOOr of several elephants,
that we decided upon passing Il few
hours in i large tree that stood apatr
from the main BUSH, and from the
branches of which Il good view could
be obtained of the ground. For conf
panion, we selected our usual hunting
Cafi're. who was always ready for sport
and arming him with one of our guns,
we started at about ten o'clock at night,
reached the tree after hal an hours
walk, and soon were settled amidst its
branches.
A walk by night in country where
there are such animals as lions, leOpards,
hyanas, snakes, elephants, buffalo, and
other formidable creatures, requires
considerable caution; for it would be
excessively awkward to run against one
of these animals, or to turn a corner of
bush, and suddenly find yourself face
to face with one of them. There are,
too, some creatures which make a prac-
tice of following men at night-the
hy1na in particular, as we experienced
on more than one occasion.
Having taken our stations in the tree,
we waited patiently for a view Of some
animal. In spite Of its being common
ly considered ''a comfortable place."
we believe that there is no seat more
uncomfortable for a length of time
than seat in tree. First, it is very
hard; secondly, it is impossible to
change your position much; thirdly,
there is always risk Of falling, partic-
ularly if You get sleepy and doze, and
it is almost impossible to lie down, or
even recline. But when it offers Sc
cure retreat from wild animals, it has
its advantages.
For fully half an hour we saw moth
ing, although the rustling of the bush
indicated that various animals were on
the move. The noises one hears at
night in wild country are very singu-
lar, and when heard during the still
ness of an African night, few sounds
are more striking than the weird howl
or moan of the '.strand WOLF" or hy-
cna. The cry also of the jackal is par
ticularly wild, and can be heard from
very great distance; whilst the pc
culiar note of various night-birds is
heard as they fit around the tree in
which they discover an intruder on
their domain.
After listening to the various sounds
that occasionally were heard, we sud-
denly discovered several animals al
most under the tree in which we were
concealed. We dared not move, for to
move was to make noise, and TO make
noise would alarm the animals, what
ever they were. 1t was therefore neees-
sary to get Il good view of them with
out moving-a proceeding of some diff
ficulty; but we accomplished it, and
found the creatures We're -pig-a
large pig that lives entirely in the bush
and is about rs watchful and cunning
as any animal that inhabits Africa, its
powers of hearing and scent being both
very acute. 1t knows quite well when
any danger threatens it, and is not