San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1890-01-27


extraordinary influence over every class
of native, and bethought me that he
might be useful in that way.
"All right" l said; 81 appoint you
witchfinder to the expedition without
pay"
First serve, then ask for wages" he
answered. IL am glad to see that you
have enough imagination not to be alto
gether a fool, like most white men, Macu-
mazahn. Yes, yes, it is want of imag-
ination that makes people fools; they
won't believe what they can't under
stand. You can't understand my prophe-
Cies anv more than the fool at the kraal
could understand that was his master
with the lightning. Well, it is time to
trek, but if | were you, Macumazahn,
should take one wagon. not two"
why" said.
Because you will lose your wagons,
and it is better to lose one than two"
"Oh, nonsense!' l said.
"AlI right, Macumazahn, live and
learn" And without another word he
walked to the foremost wagon, put his
bundle into it, and climbed into the front
seat.
So, having bid an aifectionate adieu to
my white friends, at length started, and
travelled slowly northwards. For the first
three weeks nothing very particular be-
fell me. Such kaffirs as we came in con-
tact with We're friendly, and game liter
ally Swarmed.
The first real adventure that befell me
on this particular journey was with
elephants. which | will relate because of
its curious termination. Just before we
crossed the Orange river we came to
stretch of forest land some twenty miles
broad. The night we entered this forest
we camped in lovely open glade. A
few yards ahead tambouki grass was
growing to the height of man, or
rather it had been; now, with the ex-
ceptiOn of a 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 ele-
plants had evidently passed over the
tall grass not many hours before. The
sight of their spOer reiOiCed me exceed
ingly, for though | had seen wild ele-
phants, at that time | had never shot
one. Moreover, the sight of elephant
spOer to the African hunter is what
'color in the pan" is to the prospector of
gold. 1t is by ivory that he lives, and
to shoot it or trade it is his chief aim in
life. Ny resolution was soon taken. l
would camp the wagons for while in
the forest, and start on horseback after
the elephants.
communicated my decision to India
ba-Zimbi and the other kaffirs. The lat
ter were not 10th, for your Kaffir loves
hunting, which means plenty of meat
and congenial occupation, but Indaba
zimbi would express no opinion. saw
him retire to little fire that he had lit
for himself, and go through some mys-
FERROUS performances with bones and
clay mixed with ashes, which were
watched with the greatest interest by the
other katfirs. At length he rose, and,
coming forward, informed me that it
was ali right, and that did well to go
and hunt the elephants, as l should get
plenty of ivory; but he advised me to go
on foot | said should do nothing of
the sort, but meant to ride. l am wiser
now; that was the first and last time that
l ever attempted to hunt elephants on
horseback.
Accordingly, we started at dawn, /.
Indaba-zimbi and three men; the rest |
left with the wagons. | was on horse
back and so was my driver, good rider
and skillful shot for Kaffir, but In
daba-zimbi and the others walked. From
dawn till midday we followed the trail
of the herd. which was as plain as a
high road. Then we off saddled to let
the horses rest and feed, and about
o'clock started on again. Another hour
or 50 passed. and still there was no sign
of elephants. Evidently the herd had
Travelled fast and far, and l began to
think that we should have to give it up,
when suddenly | caught sight of a
brown mass moving through the thorn
trees on the side of a slope about quar-
ter 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? l 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 bot
tom, which was densely covered with
bush. Here l saw the elephants had
been feeding, for broken branches and