Vicksburg weekly herald., 1877-08-03
HuaaInG Gsreal Game la Africa.

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Travels IL Africa.l
Some years ago. says traveller, in |
my tirst bunting trip 10 Africa, I had .
been tiamping about for dbys through ,
/ the hot sands, which seemed 10 moisien |
a. walked; snd at lat, wearied out !
We camped down for the night close to
q pool. ! was in the land Of dreams,
and back in England, when I was
awakened by one of my Kafirs, and,
sitting up, there Was about the strAng.
est noise OF wallowing, spouting and
tFumpeling ! ever heard. Il was for
all the world as II some great beasts
we're playing with water, AID KEEP; say.
ing "Pomp =
elephants, my boy whispered.
And we lay listening, | without the
slightest desire to go and attack them in
the dark; sRd at last, ell becoming
Silent, dropped again into that sound
sleep enjoyed by the tired man.
The next morning, on seeking the
nearest pool, the fret glance convinc.
ed Us that our ears had not played US
false In the night, for there, deeply im.
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 drink.
ing and splashing about in all the
pools, had gone out into the low bills
on the left so, putting my best Epoor.
ing Kaffir on the track, we lost no time
In starting in pursuit.
The troop, as we'll as could be Judged,
consisted OF about ten or twelve bulls,
among them three or four regular old
teasers, with footprints nearly TWO fee.
in diameter.
After following their spoor about
couple OF hours across sort OF easy
country, 1t led US to some much higher
and more rugged hills, and here they
had ceased to feed and taken 10 an old
path, stepping It of at brisk pace
in single nile.
After following the spoor for about
another hour along this path, 1t once
more left it aud struck of again in
the old Erection across the hills, and,
just here getting among lot Of yes
erday's tracks, we had great difficulty
In following IL; but at length my boy,
with the ssgacity aud perseverance OF
a hound, ferreted it OUT, and away we
went again.
About eleven o'clock we got into q
patch of very thick, scrubby what the
Kafirs call "Idoro' BUSH, in a deep
kloof between the hills, and here we
went along with great care and eau.
ton, expecting every instant 10 see the
elephants, as | made sure they would
not pass place so favorable for their
midday siests; however, they went
clean out OF here, and up the steep hill on
the other side. Arrived a. the top, we
looked down upon large kloof, in
closed on all sides with steep hills, and
covered with dense bu b, thicker q
great deal than We had just come
through aud as | looked felt sure
my friends were sleeping not many
hundred yards of.
At this instant glancing 10 the right
| perceived elephants coming down the
side of hill a little on ahead (my boy
afteTward claimed 10 have headed
these, and turned them back toward
the Valley; so ] ran 10 intercept
them.
was just in time, and as they passed
In trout OF me, not more than forty
yards distance, In single file, gave the
last one (he having the finest ivory a
shot in the middle Of the shoulder, but
few inches too high; however, il
slackened his speed considerably, and
he left the others. Quickly reloading,
followed, and getting 10 where the
bush was more open, shouted behind
him:
"Hi, there woho, old man. and
fatal curiosity, or perhaps wish for
vengeance, inducing him TO turn, |
planted another four-ounce ball in his
chest. lie wheeled around immedi.
, ately, but strength failed him, and he
only walked a few yards, stood under
a tree, and after receiving another bull
let square on the shoulder, gave fierce
shake Of the head, making his huge
ears flap again, and sinking slowly
down, with his hind legs doubled out,
surrendered up his tongh old spirit,
looking for all the world, though dead,
like tame elephant when kneelng for
people to ascend the howdah.