Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1890-01-09

YES. HE ANSWERED., WE WILL 90
TOGETHER
will they do2 Go backP Not bit of it.
1t is nearly thirty feet wide, but that is
nothing to a springbok. See, the first Of
them bounds into the air like ball.
How beautifully the sunshine CLEANS
upon his golden hide. lie has cleared
1t, and the others come after him in
numberless succession, all except the
fawns, who can not jump 50 far, and
have to scamper over the doubtful path
with terrified bah What is that yon-
der, moving over the tops of the mimosa
In the little dell at the foot Of the kop-
pie2 CRATES, by George! three Of them;
there will be marrow bones for supper
tonight. Hark! the ground shakes be-
hind us, and over the brow of the rise
rush vast herd Of blesbock. On they
come at full gallop, their long heads
held low they look like so many
bearded goats | thought SO. Behind
them is a pack of wild dogs, their fur
1raggled, their tongues lolling. They
are in full cry; the giraffes hear them
and are away, rolling round the koppie
like ship in heavy sea. No marrow
bones after all. Seel the foremost dogs
are close on a buck. He has galloped
Tar and is outworn. One springs at his
flank and misses him. The buck gives
a kind Of groan, looks wildly round and
sees the wagon. He seems to hesitate
moment, then in his despair rushes up
to it and falls exhausted among the
oxen. The dogs pull up some thirty
PAGES away, painting and snarling. Now,
boy, the gun-no, not the rifle; the shot
gun loaded with loopers.
Bangl bang! There, my friends, two
Of you will never hunt buck again. No,
don't touch the buck, for he has come to
US for shelter, and he shall have it.
All, how beautiful is nature before
man comes to spoil it!
Such sight as this have | seen many
hundred times, and hope to see it
again before die
The first real adventure that befell me
on this particular journey was with ele-
plants, which l will relate because Of
its curious termination. Just before we
crossed the Orange river we came to a
stretch of forest land some twenty miles
we camped in a lovely open glade. A
few yards ahead tambouki grass was
growing to the height Of a man, or
rather it had been. Now, with the ex-
ception of few stalks here and there,
it was crushed quite fiat. 1t was already
dusk when we camped, but after the
moon got up | walked from the fire to
see how this had happened One glance
was enough for me- A great herd of
elephants had evidently passed over the
tall grass not many hours before. The
sight of their spoor reioiced me exceed
ingly, for though had seen wild ele-
plants, at that time | had never shot
one. Moreover, the sight Of elephant
spoor to the African hunte. is what
color in the pan" is to the prospector
VI gold. 1t is By ivory that he lives, and
to shoot it or trade it is his chief aim in
life. My resolution was soon taken.
would camp the wagons for awhile in
the forest, and start on horseback after
the elephants.
communicated my decision to Indaba-
zimbi and the other Kafiirs. The latter
were not 10th, for your Kaflir loves hunt
ing, which means plenty of meat and
congenial occupation, but Indaba-zimbi
would express no opinion. | saw him
retire to a little fire that he had lit for
himself and go through some mysterious
performances with bones and clay
mixed with ashes, which we're watched
with tho greatest interest by the other
Kafflrs. At length he rose, and, coming
forward, informed me that it was all
right, and that did we'll to go and hunt
the elephants, as should get plenty OF
ivory; but he advised me to go on foot.
| said / should do nothing Of the sort,
but meant to ride. am wiser now that
was the first and last time that l ever
attempted to hunt elephants on horse
back