Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-03-10
AMONG TIE BUsHMEN.

treated his crew, declined to continue
longer in the ship. While waiting for a
vessel that needed an officer became ac-
quainted with two Englishmen, by name
Nr. Whipley and Mr.. Baker. They had
come TO Africa solely for the purpose OF
hunting the large game which at that Pc
Rod was TO be found in abundance some
forty or fifty miles to the north and east OF
Cape Town. This was in the country OF
the Bushmen, and IS they were NOT OF q
particularly brave o. warlike character
party Of hunters could generally get along
without meeting with any serious oosiruc-
tions from them. The danger OF treacnery
from the Bushmen added zest to the sport,
and if thIeving negro was shot now ana
then instead Of q rhinoceros or 4 hyena,
why then there was one less negro IN
Africa
When I first made the acquaintance Of
Whipley and Baker they were preparing
TO start for 2 weeks shoot, and they kindly
invited me 70 join them. They also gen
ouslv offered to supply me with a large cal
liner rifls. ammunition, knife ard everything
else which should require for such Jour-
ney. This iiberaiity did not attribute to
an excessive foodness for my company, On
the contrary I had the sense TO see that
smother white man added strength TO the
Anglo-Saxon element, which was very in
Bortans item when it is considered that our
sttendants were all black men, who had
been picked up while loafng about Cape
Town The savage instincts of the race
hsd not been so thoroughly eliminated by
their frequent contact with the white men
as to make them altogether honest and
trustworthy, and it was necessary that this
fact should be borne in mind. The food
supplies consisted largely of hard bread
and cheese, we expecting TO kill enough
game to supply the party with fresh meat.
| should not neglect to say that my Eoglish
friends were careful to see that the fluid
part Of toe provisions was not overlooked,
and az thiR consisted of q generous guam
tity Of old Eoglish ale in bottles, I thought
their forethought very commendsble.
The provisions, shelter tent, three II
ies, two shotguns and the ammunition en-
bracsd about all we cared to be incumbered
with. Our attendants consisted OF ak me-
groes and four dogs. To the negroes we
assigned the duty of lugging our supplies.
This was very well go far as the ammunl-
zion and shelter tent were concerned, but
we found before long that 9 great mistake
had been made in committing to their care
the food and liquid supplies.
The arrangements being completed, We
started off one fine morning, and after
trudging through a mountainous country
for FIVE hours. we selected a cool and shady
spot where we prepared to partake of some
refreshments and to rest for an hour.
While munchiug my heard bread, 1 was
10 Of be of pr,a
of those shiny and poisonous serpents which
inhabit this part of the earth, by observing
the excited manner and wild gesticulations
of one of the negroes. Looking up l saw
the basilisk eyes of a snake glaring at me,
and az il was not more than fifteen feet
away, aud ready to spring. was in posi-
ton OF great danger. Baker, who was
seated few rods to my left. seized his gun
and shot the snake dead Fortunately for
me he had carried his gun, expecting to
shoot some birds before we uncovered the
large game. The probability of this cool
and shady place being the favorite resort
of poisonous snakes was not pleasant to
contemplate snd the proposal to move with
cut further delay met the hearty approval
of the party.
We pursued our journey until nearly 7
O'Clock that night. The creeping vines
and rank vegetation made the walking diff
fcult and fatiguing, and had WhipleY or
Baker suggested the advisability Of camp
ing long before this hour, should have
been very glad. They, however, were
anxious to reach the borders of small
river or creek, where they expected to find
the hiDp0potami and rhinoceros in the
Jungle which extended along its margin.
The lazy negroes were now becoming
FESTIVE, and / believe they would have re-
fused to continue longer with us had not
Whipley threatened to shoot them if they
dropped our stores. This was not Christ
ian-like way Of psTsuading men to do ones
bidding. but it must be remembered that
our servants were but half civilized, and
the only thing savage can unders' and is
force. This was the opinion of Whipley
and Baker, and as their experience in such
matters was much greater than mine, l
suppose they must have been the most com.
petent Judges.
When at last the order was given to
spread tho tent, we had gotten within eight
or nine hundred yards of the river. We
were on the verge of the forest, and the
Jungle was within one hundred yards of the
spot. Supper was prepared, and ample
Justice was done to our not over luxurious
fare. We had expected to shoot an ante
lope during the day, but none had been
seen. An antelope steak would have ma
terially improved cur larder and been ap-
preciated by the party.
After the negroes had eaten their supper
we set them to work gathering fuel for the
fires we intended to build around the camp,
and when night set in the torch was ap.
piled and we were soon surrounded by fire.
This was done TO keep off the prowling ny.
enas and other wild animals during the
darkpssu. as we could not trust the ne.
groes tc keep the fires burning without be
ing watched, we divided the night into
watches, and Whipley agreed to stand the
first. Baker the second and l the lasi
watch
Wrapping blanket around my body
lay on the ground inside the tent and wa;
soon asleep. had been asleep four or five
hours when | was aroused by a series o.
prolonged howls and the furious barking
and squeaking of the dogs. jumped up,
and, seizng my rifle, rushed cut of the
tent The fires were burning low, aud
some we're quite out Whipley and Baker
were standing close together holding theil
rifles cooked, and when l saw them in this
fighting attitude I cooked my rifle and
Joined them. The cause for this alarm wa;
soon explained. The negroes had stolen
our stores, and they had gorged themselves
with the food and drank so much ale that
they were ready to burst. They were crazy
drunk, and while their stomaehs were sc
distended they could not stand, they could
still use their tongues, and this they did SC
well that the forest fairly resounded with
their cries. Four or five hyenas were
prowliDg around the camp, and when the
dogs attacked them two OF the dogs were
killed and one was badly wounded. The
injured dog was moaning piteously, whilf
the unhurt one was yelling with all his
might We could hear the crunching Of
bones just beyond the line OF the fires, and
when Is was lesrned later that one of the
negroes more drunk than the others had
fallen in a stnpor outside the fires, the hOr.
rible thought became certainty, and we