Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1890-04-04
The Strange Story
OF
ALLAN QUATERMA|N'S WIFE.
A NEW AFRICAN ROMANCE.
BY Il. RIDER HAGGARD.

as far as the eye could reach it would be
literally black with game. Here TO the
right might be a herd of vilderbeeste that
could not number less than five thousand.
SoGle were grazing, some gambOled.
whisking their white tails into the air,
while all round the old bulls stood upon
hillOcks shifting suspiciOusly at the breeze.
There in front, thousand yards away,
though to the Impractical eye they looked
much closer because of the dazzling clear
ness of the atmosphere, was a great herd
of springbOk trekking long in single file.
All, they have come to the wagon track,
and do not like the look of it. What viii
they dor Go back? Not bit of it. 1t is
nearly thirty feet wide, but that is moth
i'm TO a springbOk See, the first of them
b. .nds into the air like a ball. How
beautifully the sunshine CLEANS upon his
golden hidel He has cleared it, and the
others come after him in numberiess sue
cession. all except the fawns, who cannot
Jump so far ami have to scamper over the
doubtful path with terrified bah.
What is that yonder, moving over the tops
of the mimosa, in the little dell at the foot
of the koppie? GirafTes, by George! three
of them: there will be marrow bones for
supper tonight Hank! the ground shakes
behind US, and over the brow of the rise
rush a vast herd Of bIesbock. On they
come at full galIop, their long heads held
low-they look like so many bearded
goats. / thought so. Behind them is a
pack of wild dogs their fur draggled,
their tongues lolling. They are in full
cry; the giralfcs hear them and are away,
rolling round the koppie like a ship in a
heavy sea. No marrow bones after ALL
Secl the foremost dogs are close on buck.
He has galloped far and is outworn One
springs at his flank and misses him. The
buck gives kind of grOan, looks wildly
round and sees the wagon. He seems to
hesitate "A moment, then in his despair
PUSHES up TO it, and falls exhausted among
the oxen. The dogs pull up some thirty
PAGES away, painting and suarling. Now,
boy, the gun-nO, not the rife, the shot
gun loaded with loopcrs.
Baugl Oangl There, my friends, two of
you will never hunt buck again. No, don
touch the buck, for he has come TO us for
shelter, ana he shall have it.
All, how beautiful is nature before man
comes to spoil it.
such Il sight as this have ! seen many
hundred times, and | hope to see it again
before / die.
The first real adventure that befcll me
on this particular journcy was with ele-
plants, which viii relate because Of its
curious termination. Just before we
crossed the Orange River we came to a
stretch of forest land some twenty miles
broad. The night we entered this forest
we camped in Il lovely open glade A
few yards ahead tambouki grass was grow
Ing to the height of II man, or rather it
had been.
Now, with the exception of few stalks
here and there, it was crushed quite fiat
IT was already dusk when we campcd, but
after the moon got up | walked from the
fire To see how this had happened. One
Glance was enough for me. \ great herd
Of elephants had evidently passed over the
tall grass not many hours before. The
sight nf their spoor rcjoicrd me exceed
ingly for though | had seen wild ele-
plants al that time | had never shot one.
Moreover, the sight Of elephant spoor to
the African hunter is what "color in the
pan" IS to the prospcctor OF gold. 1t is by
ivory that he lives, and to shoot it or trade
II is his chief aim in life. My resolution
was soon taken. | would camp the wagons
for while in the forest, and start on
horseback after the elephants.
communicated my decision to Indaba-
ZImbi and the other Katlirs. The latter
were not 10th, for your kHllir loves hunt
ing, which means plenty of meat and
cougeniHl occupation, but lndaba-zimbi
would express no opinion. ! saw him re-
tire 10 u little fire that he had lit for him
self ana 90 through some mysterious per
formauces with bones and clay mixed
with @shcs, which were watched with the
greatest interest by the other Knnirs.
At length he rose, aud. coming forward
informed me that il was all right. and
that | did well to go aud hunt the eIe-
plants, IA should get plenty of ivory:
but he advised me TO 90 on foot. | said
should do nothing of the sort, but meant
10 ride. am wiser now; that was the
first and last time that | ever attempted
to hunt elephants on horseback.
Accordingly we started at dawn, |, In
daba-Zmhi, and three men; the rest | left
with the wagons. | was on horseback,
and 50 was my driver, a good rider and
skillful shot for katlir, but Indaba zimbi
and the others walked From dawn
until midday we followed the trail of
the herd, W hich was as plain as high
road.
Then we olT-saddlcd to let the horses
rest and feed, and about three o'clock
started on again. Another hour or so
passed. and still there was no sign of ele-
plants. Evidently the herd had travelled
fast and far and | began to think that
we should have to give it up. when sud
denly | caught sight OF "A brown mass
moving through the thorn trees on the
side of slope about quarter of mile
away. My heart seemed to jump into my
mouth.
Where is the hunter who has not felt
like this at the sight of his first elephant?
| called a halt and then, the wind being
right, we set to work to stalk the bull
Very quietly rode down the hither side
of the slope till we came to the bottom,
which was densely covered with bush
Here | saw the elephants had been feed.
ing, for broken branches and upturned
trees lay all about. | did not take much
notice, however. for all my thoughts were
fixed unou the BAH | was stalking. when
suddenly my horse made violent start
that nearly threw me from my saddle,
aud there came a mighty rush and up
hcaval of something in front of me. /
looked. There was the hinder part of a
second bull elephant not four yards off
l could just catch sight of its outStretched
ears projecting on either side had
disturbed it sleeping, and it was running
away.
Obviously, the best thing to do would
have been To let it run, but l was young
in those days and foolish, and in the eN-
element of the moment lifted my ''roer''
or elephant gun and fired ut the great
brute over my horses head. The recoil
of the heavy gun nearly knocked me off
the horse. l recovered myself, however.
and, rs did so. saw the bull lurch for
ward; for the impact of Il three-ouuCe
bullet in the TANKS will quicken the
movements even OF an elephant.
BY this time had realized the folly of
the shot, and devoutly hoped that the bull
would take no further notice of it. But
he had a different view of the matter.
Pulling himself up in a series of pluuges
he spun round and came for me with out
stretched ears and uplifted trunk. scream
ing terribly. l was quite defeuSeless, for
my gun was empty, aud my first thought
was of escape. | dug my heels into the
sides of my horse, but he would not move
an inch, The poor animal was paralyzad
with terror, and he simply stood still. his
fore legs, outstretched, and quivering all
over like leaf.
On rushed the elephant awful to see; I
made one more vain effort to stir the
horse. Now the trunk of the great bull
swung aloft above my head. \ thought