Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1895-04-07
THE GAME Of AFRICA
Buck Hunting Is the Chief
Sport Of the NlmrOd.
BIG GAME IS PLENTIFUL,
But Is Being Trimmed Out TO a Very
Considerable Extent.
BIG GAME ABOUT CAPE COLONY
The Rhinoceros and BunnIo Are De-
soribsd Rs the Most Dangerous
Game In All Africa.

Game In All Africa.
Sport in these later days OF nine
teenth-century civilization has become
J different affair 10 that recorded by
| Gordon Cumming, In days not so far
distant as TO be beyond the memory OF
those whose boards are as yet uusil-
vered by Times hand Steam. II It has
not actually helped in the survival OF
the Attest has at least had the con-
verse effect OF causing the disappear
ance Of the weakest. Traders rum
and cheap calicoes have aided TO no
small extent in tho determination OF
the noble savage and the brcechloader
has dealt an equal destruction among
the game which at one time formed his
food. with the easy means Of com
/ municatlon which our numbcrless lines
OF steamers afford has come an uunihl-
| latlon Of distance. which has resulted
IN the thinning Of the great preserves
Of the world to somewhat alarming
| extent
There Is one continent. however,
which has always been The sportsman's
paradise. and the peculiar charm at
tachlng to the Wild life Of a hunter and
traveller In South Africa is not likely
ever TO be forgotten by those who have
experienced it, however much the va
riod scenes Of later vanderings may
tend TO obliterate details. The country
has not any more than others. escaped
the dimlnutlOn IN Its larger game,
which seems almost invariably To f.l-
low the advent OF the white man. but
30 inuch mas remained. and viii. in all
probability SIN remain Tor Some yeHrs
TO come. that the hunter whose chief
Idea on fine day Is, as We know. 10
60 out and XIII something" Will prob
ably attain his object with less difieui-
ty mere than elsewhere The cream NJ
the shooting within the Cane Colony
lies In It's eastern division, where the
country opuroNim1tes rather to tho
character OF Natal, especially in the
nciIhborhuud of the sea coast. Tho
valleys OF the rivers and many OF the
picturesque little kloofs running down
TO the sea. are clothed in thick bush.
which is the haunt OF several kinds OF
antelope.
In some places this jungle is so OK
[ tenslNe and unbroken as to acquire
a distinctive name, and the piric, AIDA
ana hpWle Bushes are fun Of game
which leads a tolerlbly undisturbed
NE, IN consequence OF the difficulty In
WORKING the ground Here buffalo are
stu TO be found the most DANGEROUS
game in MI Africa, with the excep-
tons Of the black rhinocerds. Further
south stu In the neiuhborhood az
Mossel bay. and at no very great die.
lance from the most southern polnt OF
the great continent Is the Kuvsna for
est which abounds in fine timber. and
Is Of sufficient size to form the last
stronghold within the cll0ny-of a
herd OF elephants These would of
GnflTgn 1nnfr GiF4Ra h1f D.
nted. but for the. Intervention Of the
government by whom they have Tor
some years past been protected.
Near Port Elizabeth, the capitaI NJ
the eastern division Of the colony
perhaps better known as Algoa bay.
on the shores OF which II IL situated
are many farms where capital shoot
Ing may be had by those who are for.
tunute enough TO number the owners
among their friends. The exigencias
ot business are much the same i'm
south Africa as they are within sound
~ Blg Ben, and those whose dutlos tie
Them down 10 the dust and heat Of that
most unuttractive of towns LOOK fnrs
ward 10 holiday with as Keen a cost
pg that experienced by the most ardent
OF grouse shooters. The vacation M
Easter Is very generally devoted TO
sport hut II IS not every one who has
the good fortune to be a member m
the Easter Hunt" This Institutton
was started some twenty-five years ago
Hudson 3''N 'i''
For some Years these gentlemen and
other Keen sportsmen had Joined forces
az Easter and shot over vorinrs
farms IN tho adjoining country s",os
Hltle time ago however, the yearly
excursion crystllized into n moro don
mite and permanent shane owing 10
the Kindness Of Mr. James Coltman.
who placed his hospitality and tbo
tgrae naturae or his farm at the SER
Vice Of the members ~ tho little ohm
Here, at WycomDe Vale in the AIex.
andria district the fortunate guests
have had really magnificent snort snr
the last twenty-five years. startIn,,
work on the Saturday before Fnstar
ana returning 10 Port Elizabeth on the
Following Thursday evening IVY
conlbe Vale Mr.. DunelG writes "is a
naturalhomc FOR MISUNDERSTANDING
Duikers, GrysbucS and Bluebuct
abounding-and, as II IL strictly nre,
served for the snort OF the Eastsr
hunt, good bag Is n certainty Most
OF the sport is obtained in tho
pig kloofs' or ravlnes which
branch out from the thick bush
ana these are driven by some
thirty katlir heaters and number Of
dogs, many Of very intricate breeding
During the week we live rnder oan,
vas, our camp being close In the home
stcads, and jollier week can scarcs-
ly be imagined. No letters or paners
reach us, and from the cold soiisa in
the carly morning. to the circle round
the enormous campfire at night vrc
enjoy ourselves TO the utmost O,,r
first days bag showed twentv-sevon
head. mort ~ which were bushbIclt
Easter Monday was great dny as
we shot thirty-four bucks, and nm
Tuesday and Wednesday we got twan.
ty-hve and twenty-seven respectjveIv
our total bag for the four DAYS was
ll3 bucks and we reached Port Eliza
beth on the Thursday night, regret
ting that such a pleasant week sbo,,ld
have passed so quickly. Mr.. Coltmon
who 50 generously gave IN his estnte
for our sport, always ACCOMPANIES us
and although he has himself given M
shooting On account Of his advanced
years. is as keen on feping the fun aq
ever, and. what with looking after tho
heaters. placing the guns. and havint,
an occasional shot with his little rock.
rifle, he gets through aii amount OF
work during the day that would nut
many q younger man to shame. 10
was IN his day a noted rife shot. and
now in his old age, is y model for All
young bportsmen TO copy OF his kind
say enough, our parry consisted az
tuurtecn guns, most OF whom were
from Port Elizabeth
However dangerous the district fur.
Their north may be. there IS no doubt
that tho colony itself n as healthy 40
any part OF the earth's surface, and tie
putdgnr eNlsteuecI md ponafant 49,.