Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-12-20
HUNTING IN AFRICA,
Lord Randolph Churchill
Pictures the Paradise of
the Sportsmen.
GAME OF EVERY VARIETY.
Lions, Leopards and Snakes Con-
tribute the Element of Danger.
WHATANEIPEDITION WOULD COST.
Hard Chases of Hartbeests, Antelores and
Their Relativeh
GAME OF EVERY VARIETY.
WHATANEIPEDITION WOULD COST.
Hard Chases of Hartbessts, Antelores and
Their Relatives,
CONFESSIONS OF BAD NARKSMANSHIP
rwRIrrKN FOR THE prsrArcH. I,


To the young man fond of shooting, o,
riding, of wild hunters life, active, Wig
orous, healthy and endowed with adequate
fortune those regions of South Africa which
extend from the Limpopo to the Hunyani
river, offer field for sport not to be equaled
In any other part of the world During the
winter time from May to September the
climate Of this region is almost perfect, the
risk of fever slight The air of the veldt is
invigorating, the scenery and surroundings
attractive and various, the life of the hunter
temperate and wholesome.
This man, coming to these parts of Africa
eager for sport, will experience little If any
disappointment. Accompanied and guided
by some good Dutch hunter, such as Hans
Lee, he will see, fume and probably kill
almost every African wild animal with the
exception of the elephant, buffalo and
rhinoceros. These also may be obtained
without difficulty, If one is not daunted BY
the remoteness of the districts near the
Zambesi, by the real rough life incident to
the absence of wagons and OF all beasts OF
burden owing to the existence of the Tsetse
fy, or by hard walking exercise under the
heat of 8 tropical sun. But in the vast ter
ritory have defined above, every species of
comfort msy without difficulty surround and
cheer the hunter.
Plenty of the Element OF Danger
The soundest sleep at night, the best of
sppetites for every meal, the clear head, the
cool nerve, the muscle and wind as perfect
ss after an autumn in the Highlands, are
pleasures and delights which can he here
experienced. Nor is the exciting element
of danger bv any means altogether absent.
The lion and leopard are beasts, to en-
counter which successfully requires skill,
experience aud courage. Snakes of great
venom, some Of great size, may not infre-
Quently be met with, falls from the horse
when galloping over the plain, may occur
constantly, and should any one imagine that
antelo e hunting in Africa is q tame, safe
kind of amurement three or four weeks ex-
perience of it will quickly undeceiye him.
Then the game numbers such variety,
such size, such beauty. Nothing more
wildly lovely can be imagined than the
sight of herd of roam antelope, of hart
beest, quagga, galloping through the forest;
nothing more wildly exciting than the pur-
suit of such herd Sighting the game
through the trees, sometimes obtaining q
then mounting your horse loading as you
gallop along with the spurs rammed well
home, leaving him to pick his way as best
be can among trees, branches, roots, rocks,
stones and holes, coming again within 100
OF $50 yards, not dismounting but almost
hinging yourself off your horse and firing
both barrels as rapidly and as accurately as
You NAV, then on again, over hill, river and
dale until the herd is decimated, until your
appetite for slaughter is STAYED, or until
having missed quantities of shots, both the
strength of yourself and your steed are
alike exhausted.
Not Plenty Enough to Be Monotonous.
These good chases will not occur every
day any more than q fox chase or a good
days salmon fishing comes often in the sea-
son; the hunter may ride for miles and for
hours through the most sporting "gamev"
kind of country without setting ewes on a
living creature, but when they do occur they
are periods of excitement, every incident of
which the memory cannot fail during q life
time to retain. Then the accompaniments,
the framework as it were of the chase after
the buck. The early start, the break ofday,
the brilliant sunrise, the cool morning air,
the returns to camp, wearied but pleased
and excited, the bath, the evening meal
eaten with an appetite and q zest such as
only an Africa hunter knows, the camp
IRE, the pipe, the discussion of the davis
sport, the hunters stories and experiences,
the plans for tomorrow, no thoughts of rain
or bad weather depressing the mind, all this
makes combination and concentration Of
human joy which Paradise might with diff
6cultv rival
Nor is this hunting life, when pursued |
for few months or from time to time, a
useless, frivolous, or a stupid existence,
especially when it is compared with the |
sort Of idle, Improbable passing of the |
time experienced from year TO year bv num- |
5ers of young men of fortune. Nature and |
all her ways can be observed and studied |
with advantage. much knowledge of wild |
animals and wild men can be acquired by |
the observant, the intelligent sportsman, |
languages may be learned, habitudes ard |
customs noticed and written about. inter
esting persons met with. excellent friend |
ships formed, the mind and the BODY |
seasoned, hardened and developed by
travel in wild country and all its many
Incidents, its rough and its smooth, its sur
orises its difficulties, its adversities and its |
perils, and 1 hold this for certain that in |
nine cases out OF ten a young man who has |
Tx months of African hunting life will be |
en pounds better fellow all around on his |
What Trip Would Cost.
A six months hunting expedition out |
here need not be very costly business, at
east when compared with the cost of Lon
Ion life to many q young man, and meas
lred by the amount oil real pleasure and ad-
7antage to be derived from either. For the
purchase of a couple of good wagons and q
couple of spans of IS to 20 oxen EACH of
our or five good shooting horses, 81, 600
would probably suffice, and if these reuuis-
tes were purchased with care and skill
much of the outlay would be recovered at
he termination of the trip. Some g, 900
OF tents and for the paraphernalia of
amp, for personal wants and for lu1uries in
he way of food and drink. An e1pendi-
ure Of $500 month in wages and food for
he bows, grooms and native followers,
7ould keep the expedition going. As for
,ersonai outfit little is required. but that
title must be of the best quality. Good
AIMED buckskin breaches, good strong pig
kin CATERS, good brown leather laced walk
Dc boots, dozen flannel shirts, "a couple
f Norfolk Jackets" an Inverness cape of
Tarm material, three or four large thick
uCs and Terai hat are all that can be re-
uired in the way of clothes in this part of
be world.
As for armament would suggest couple
{ double-barreled express breech-loadine
hes with rebounding locks, 500 bore. and
bout 900 rounds of ammunition. Solid
ullets are greatly to be preferred to ex-
anding bullets. The latter, indeed, in nv
pinion are not safe to use in a country
-hara lion or laopord |