The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1893-09-29
HUNTING FOR BIG GAME.
THE rHRILs or ELEPHANT SHOOT.
ING I'm SOUTH AFRICA.
Laws for the Protection OF Elephants
Tho Heaviest Tusk I'm the World
Mt the Fair.

ut the Worlds Fair IN the
Cape Colony exhibit. IL is
seven and half feet long and weighs
1853 pounds. At the thickest part it IN
| about six inches through. The mateto
it, which is little lighter, is in the
museum at Cape Town. There is an
elephant tusk larger than this, be-
longing to the King of Siam, but 1t II
not 80 heavy.
The elephant who carried these
| monstrous tusks - more than SUI
pounds of ivory, or twice the weight
of an average man-was killed IN the
Zambesi country, South Africa, some
years ago. He was about fourteen feet
high and was u genuine king of the for
est who would have dwarfed Jumbo
himself.
Elephant hunting il the first OF nii
sports with the gun, but the slaughter
of these great animals has been sopro-
digious since the Arabs and other
traders have sold brcach-loading rifles
to the tribes thr oughout Africn, that
many fear their speedy determination.
However, Robert Lee, who is ono OF
the men in charge of the Cape Colony
exhibit, and who has Travelled much IN
the elephant country, thinks that the
great beast will hold on for many gen
erations yet. Africa is 80 vast, many
regions are so difficult OF access, and
tho elephant is 80 tenacious of life, he
saws, that man cannot kill all his tribe
AZ he has slaughtered the buffalo in
America.
elephant hunting is extremely
dangerous, said Mr.. Lee. 81 know
of no other sport in which the hunter
is 80 liable to become the hunted. |
nm not sportsman myself, and l
have never tried to kill IN elephant,
hut | was once with others who thought
they would accomplish such II fcat.
sIn 1887 l accompanied Colonel
Carrington's expedition into the coun-
try north of the Transvaal. While rid
ing along through IN open. country
we saw herd of elephants. think
there were about twenty of them. We
came close enough for II shot The
,, Colonel called for his elephant gun
md blazcd away Mt the elephants. In
stantly the whole herd dartcd toward
us, trnmpcting iicrccly and really
presenting most terrifying appear
nncc. Mono Of us paused for another
| shot, but turned our horses and gal
lopcd away ns fast ns we could, the
elephants in full chase. So far M We
knew, the ColoncPs bullet had missed
entirely.
"My horse was not an especially
| good one, and / brought up tho rear oi
that flying column. An elephant, dc
spite his awkward appearance, can rur
very fast, and began to think of my
sins. My horse stepped into hole
stumbled, fell and threw me over hi
head. [ wasn't much hurt, and
Jumped to my feet instantly and seiZct
| tho horses reins. The animal WASH
much hurt, either, and l got him to
his feet and was on his back and of
again in about fifteen seconds, think
| I don't know how close the elephant
were to mo when l fell, for L neve
looked bnclS, I overlook the rest of thu
party, and when we stopped tho Gle
Dhnnts were to be seen no longer
People who are fond of n chase will
plenty of danger in it should hunt tn
elephant. I don't care for it myself.
Mr.. Lee says he has seen many herd
of elephants along the Iambcsi River
and they are still moro plentiful furthe
north. Though Cape Colony has bee
settled about ns long ns the Unite
States, there are still somo elephant
in portion of it's mountainous regioI
known as the Knysai country. The
arc supposed to be about five hundre
in number, and protected by tho Coy
ernment.
Elephants are said to grow large
south of the Zambesi than north of il
.. There are considerable herds in til
country of Kahma, King of the Bow
longs. This man is the most advance
ns NIL tho South African kings
| chiefs. He has provided n set of gan
laws for his country, End they III
rigidly enforced. Hence in the lare
territory over which he rules the ell
phauts are increasing in numbe
rather than diminishing. khama, na
urally man Of good disposition,
largely under the influence of Pre-
= ] bvt"rinn :n;:siunnry, Scotchma
and II very enlightened and n human
man.
~ know Khamn very well, so
!, Mr.. Lee, "as | accompanied one of Il
expeditions of the English into h
country. lie is II remarkable man
n appearance, rs well rs i'll chnracte
D He is ut least six feet four inches tn
and enormously int. He received
kindly and asked us many question
y Hc was greatly pleased with o
!. clothes. and discarded his African d
10 tire in favor Of n suit like ours"
Tho Homo.