The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1877-08-02
From Travels in Africa

HuMtLDR OT0Dt Game In Africa.
From Travels in Africa.
Some years ago, says q traveller, in
my first hunting-trip in Africa, had
been tramping about for days through
the hot sands, which seemed to moist.
en- as walked and at last, wearied
out. we camped out for the night close
to pool. was in the land of dreams
and back in England, when was
swakened by one OF my Caffirs, and
sitting up, there was about the strang.
est noise of wallowing, spouting and
trumpeting ever heard. 1t was fol
all the world as if some great beasts
were playing with water, s,d kept
saying PompF
Elephants my boy whispered.
And we lay listening, without the
slightest desire to 60 and attack them
in the dark and at last, all becoming
SILENT I dropped again into that sound
sleep enjoyed by the tired man.
The next morning, on seeking the
nearest pool, the first glance convinc.
ed no that our ears mad not played us
false in the night, for there, deeply i'm
pressed in the soft mud, lay the giant
footprints of several splendid bulls.
A careful survey round about soon
showed us that they had come down
the valley to the right, and, after
drinking and splashing about in all the
pools, had gone out into the low hills
on the left; SO, putting my best spoor-
ing Kafir on the track, we lost no
time in starting in pursuit.
The troop, as well as could be judg-
ed, consisted of about ten or twelve
bulls, among them three or four reg
ular old feasers, with footpl ;nts near
ly two feet in diameter.
After following their spoor about a
couple of hours across a sort of easy
country, it led us to some much high.
er and more rugged hills, and here
they had ceased to feed and taken to
an old path, stepping it out at brisk
pace in single file.
After following the spoor for about
another hour along this path, it once
more left it and struck off again In the
Old direction across the hills, and, just
here getting among lot of yesterdays
tracks we had great difficulty in fol-
lowing it; but q. length my boy, with
the sagacity and perseverance of
hound, ferretcd it out, and awav we
went again.
About eleven o'clock we got into
patch of very thick, scrubby (what the
kftfirs call Idoro' bush), in a deep
F'oof between the hills, and here we
went along with great care and eau
ton, expecting every instant to see the
elephants, as made sure they would
not pass place SO favorable for their
midday siesta; however, they went
clean out of here, and up the steep
NIL on the other side. Arrived at the |
top, we looked down upon a large
kloof, inelosed on all sides with steep |
h'iis' and covered with dense bush.
'nicxer great deal than we had just |
come through and as looked 1 felt
sure my friends were sleeping not
many hundred yards of.
AT this instant glancing to the right,
perceived elephants coming down
The side of hill little on ahead (my
boy afterward claimed to have headed
these, and turned them back toward
The Valley; SO ran to intercept them.
L was yost in time, and az they pass
I'd in front of me, not any more than
Forty yards distance, IN single file,
gave the last one Che having the finest
lvory) shot in the middle of the
'houlder, but few inches too high;
however, it slackened his speed con-
and he left the others.
Quickly reloading, I followed, and
getting to where the bush was a little
more open, shouted beh;ng him: eHi,
here woho, old man = and fatal cuti.
'sity, or perhaps a wish for vengeance, |
inducing him to turn, 1 planted e1oth- |
r four-ounce ball in his chest. He 1
Wheeled around Immediately, but
frength failed him, only walked a few j
ards, stood under tree, and after '
eceiying smother bullet square on the 7
gave a fierce shake of the t
cad, making his huge ears flap again, a
nd sinking slowly down, with his
ind legs doubled out, surrendered up n
is tough old spirit, looking, for all il
ie world, though dead, like a tame a
ephant when kneeling for people to Il
;cend the howdah. D
--e~--- d