The Opelousas courier., 1895-06-15
SPORT IN SOUTH AFRICA.


49, - =" " ASIS " oDouD oCSC
months absolutely settled weathe
may be relied upon its pleasures out
number them fifty to one. To noun
ones pony on a clear, bright morning
to ride forth into the veldt with
friend and a brace of pointers, with tn
blessed feeling that you have not
care in the world beyond the march O
your wagon to the next water; to b,
absolutely certain of some prett,
shooting in a wild country innocent o
farms and fences; to return to cam
toward evening with perhaps ten O
twelve braces of birds and q small
buck-these things, to the averag'
healthy male, seem as near perfection
as may be found in this vale of tears.
It is eight o'clock on a bright Apri
morning in South Bechuanaland. TIL,
air is full of light, brisk and wonder
fully exhilarating. Four gunners hav,
just breakfasted under the lee of thcil
wagon. Now, having mounted theil
ponies - the average south African
horse is seldom more than fourteen
hands-they ride quietly down tn,
hither side of the. shallow valley
''laagte" it is called in these parts
wherein they were outspanned, ane
climbed the farther rise.
II Is a picturesque scene. The slope.
are 'ciothed with along growth of wav,
ings grass, now greenish-yellow after
the rains, amid which great powders o.
dark red rock crop up. Here and there
small patches of blue-green bush start
out from the grassy veldt. Beyond,
browning the valley, begins a thickish
woodland of short trees-bastard vel.
low wood the Beers call them-which
extends for some miles in front, till the
great open plains are again reached.
AS the gunners ride up the farther
slope their wagon is already in motion
behind them,. starting upon it's days
trek-seventeen miles to the next
water. Through the clear, nimble air
come the crack. of the drivers great
whip and his shrill cries, hurled at Ufrt
oxen, and the unweildy home on wheels
brushes slowly through the yielding
sand. But the gunners have
spread out in line and the pointers are
already busy. Near some powders
n of the dogs feathers a little, then
stands rigid as a figure of bronze. The
two nearest gunners dismount. They
already carry their guns and bando.
Tiers, and ride, as men do in the veldt,
in their flannel shirts with their sleeves
well rolled up the arms. There is lit.
tie to cucumber their movements.
RraanhnSl nuifnrc upI t ef1,,%ta lo,A
shirt and a shady hat are all that a
man needs in Africa. !-,@ y#.
The reins are thrown over the ponies
necks and hang in front of them and
the stays will stand quietly for hours.
Now thea gunners are close upon the
pointer, still standing with rigid tail
and outstretched neck. These fran
colin lie close in the long grass.
Where the deuce - on a sudden
up spring three brown birds within
live feet OF the sportsmen. Twenty
yards of lawn, the guns are up, two
light reports from smokeless car
tridges, and a brace of the birds hit
earth. Almost instantly a third
report follows and the rear gunner has
secured his right and left-not a diff
'ult matter with these francolin. But
pointer is not yet content. Another
brace of birds is found and brought to
bag within thirty yards.
The cartridges are now gathered.
They prove to be the small Coquil fran
,olin-''N'swimbi" the natives call
helm perhaps the most beautiful
game birds In the world. AS one of
hem lies in the gu1nner's palm for a
ew moments the bright Nankin yell
and orange of the head, the clear,
lawk-fike markings of the breast, and
he beautiful shape and .feathering
mark this partridge of Africa as a gem
'mong its fellows, The birds are be-
towed in a saddle-bag and the gunners
1onnt and ride into the forest on the
ight-hand side of the wagon road.
leanwhile their comrades have entered
he woodland more to the left hand
nd their guns car be heard already
DING. .ia;t j .a5..@ I'd.
For two hours the sportsmen quietly
ak their horses through the forest,
loving due west. Once their pointer
into a small troop of guinea fowl
Giving for bulbs, and after a smart
base drives three of them into a tree,
hence, as they fly off, the gunners
'cure them easily enough. II
AT length, after picking up a few
utterfies in the forest c~learings. for I
ley carrysa n~et,sour gunners emerge
pom broad, rolling, s~un-drenched
aims, covered with long, pale yellow
rass. Through these they ride stead
? hour after hour, picking up every I
wv N again a head or two of game. {
it's a brace of big red-wing par I
idge Orange river f~rancolin); now I
le OF those annoying, yet handsome, I
birds. the black and white bus
rd-swart koorhaan, the Beers call {
m-whose noisy and Gliding WAYS
familiar everywhere in open veldt :
South Africa. Now, after keenest a
arch, a leash of tiny bush quail are {
lshsd and&secured one after the other j
wing to be literally kicked up. A /
re and assolitary 'dikkop"-thick- t
ZEE plover-are added to the growing 9
g.-London Review. i
a Vary Honest View. af .
The young man whose salary wasn't :
,g enough BY several lengths to 4
all the points He wanted to, had :
en- harassed that morning by numer- 4
persons with bills and bills and !
Is About noon AT, which time he :