Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1888-10-04
NAIVA'S REVENGE
~ E. RIDER HAGGAED.


zsi vive at once. Before the birds were well
y the air saw the grass stir.
aInown YOU go! | whispered to the boys,
and as | did so the rhinoceros got up and
Jared suspiciously around. But he could
ssa nothing; indeed, if we had been standing
m T doubt if he would have seen us at that
distance So he merely gave two or three
snitFs and then lay down, his head still down
,rind the birds once more settling on his
back
sRut II was clear to me that he was sleep
~, with one eve open, and generally in a
snsnicious and unchristian frame of mind,
.rd that il was useless to proceed farther on
tnat stalk; SO we quietly Withdrew to con-
slider the position and study the ground. The
rssnlts were not satisfactory. There was alb
solutely no cover about except the ant heap,
,rbch was some 800 yards from the rhinoce-
ros mon his up wind side knew that if
+ried Ia stalk him in front should fail, and
al should if attempted to do 50 from the
farther side; he or the birds would see me.
So | came to conclusion; l would so TO the
ant heap. which would give him my wind,
and instead Of stalking him would let him
stalk me. 1t was bold step, and one which
Isbould never advise hunter TO take, but
somehow felt as though Rhino and must
MAY the hand out,
u explained my intentions to the men, who
botA held up their hands in horror. Their
fears for my safety were a little mitigated,
however, when / told them that | did not ex-
pect them to come with me.
"Gobo breathed prayer that | might not
meet Fate walking about, and the other one
sincerely trusted that my spirit might look
nv way when the rhinoceros charged, and
then they both departed to place of safety.
Taking my eight bore and half a dozen
spare cartridges in my pocket, made a de
tour, and, reaching the ant heap in safety,
lay down For moment the wind had drop
ped, but presently gentle puff of air passed
over me and blew on towards the rhinoceros.
By the way, wonder what it is that smells
50 strong about man. Is IL his body or his
breath. have never been able 10 make out,
formal permission to shoot in his country.
Also intimated that was prepared TO pre-
sent him with 'hongo' that is, blackmail,
aud that | hoped TO do a little trade with
him in ivory Of which | heard be- had
great quantity. This message the old gen
teman promised to dispatch at once, though
there was something about his manner which
showed me that he was doubtful as 10 how IL
would be received After that we struck
our camp and moved on TO the kraal, which
we reached about an hour before sunset
This kraal was a collection Of huts surrounded
by slight thorn fence; perhaps there were
ten Of them in all, 1t was situated in kloof
Of the mountain, with rivulet flowing down
it The kloof was densely wooded, but for
some distance above the kraal 1t was free
from bush, and here, on the rich deep ground
brought down by the rivulet were the culti-
waited lands, in extent somewhere about
twenty or twenty-five acres. On the kraal
side Of these lands stood a single hut which
served for mealie stores, which at the mo-
ment was used as a dwelling place by an old
woman, the first wife of our friend the head
man.
"Itappears that this old lady, having had
some difference of opinion with her husband
about the extent Of authority allowed TO a
younger and more amiable wife, had refused
to dwell in the lTaal any more, and by way
Of marking her displeasure had taken up her
abode among the mealies. As the issue will
show she was, as it happened, cutting off
her nose to spite her face.
Close by this hut grew a large banyan
tree glance at the mealie ground showed
me that the old headman had not exagger-
ated the mischief done by the elephants TO
bis crops, which were now getting ripe
Nearly half Of the entire patch was destroyed
The great brutes had eaten all they could
and the rest they had trampled down. |
Went 70. 4 4
anazement. Never had | seen such spoor
before. It was simply enormous, more es-
Ieclally that Of one old bull, that had so
sad the natives, but single tusk. One
might have used any of the footprints for a
hip bath.
Having taken stock of the position, my
next step was to make arrangements for the
Hay. The three bulls, according TO the
natives, had been spoored into the dense
patch Of bush above the kloof. Now, it
seemed to me very probable that they would
return tonight to feed on the remainder of
.ne rpening mealies. If so, there was a
bright moon, and it struck me that by the
exercise Of little ingenuity might bag one
VI more OF them without exposing myself to
any rlsl, which, having the highest respect
IOr me aggressive powers of bull elephants,
was great consideration to me- This then,
was ny plan. To the right Of the huts as you
iook up the kloof, and commanding the
neale lands, stands the hanyan tree that
nave mentioned. Into that banyan tree /
made up my mind to go. Then if the ele-
Pu'hts appeared should get a shot at them.
| announced my intentions to the headman
y the kraal who was delighted. Now he
slia, his people might sleep in peace, for
"nlle the mighty white hunter sat aloft like
spirit watching over the welfare of his
Aaai what was there to fearr
told him that he was an ungrateful
o.u'e to think of sleeping in peace while l,
PHcled Ike wounded vulture on a tree,
watched Tor his welfare in wakeful sorrow,
all once more he collapsed, and owned that
=! words were sharp but just
however, as have said, confidence was
! toiilpetely restored, and that evening every
~! IN the kraal, including the superan-
mated ~ victim Of jealousy in the little hut
4 Ae tne mealie cobs were stored, went to |
- - Win sense Of sweet security from ele- |
hight
-. 20 my Part, l pitched my camp below
= ~ Afaal; and then having procured a beam
i "ool from the headman-rather rotten
~. ~, oy the way-I set it across two boughs
"a ran out laterally from the banvan tree