The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-08-16
GAME IN SOUTH AFRICA.
The Best Hunting fin the World Still
Found There.
New York Sun.

New York Sun.
Perhaps the most interesting feature Of
new South African guidebook is the &C.
south Africa is said to have at one time
been the richest region for big game In
the world. There has been vast change
the best to be found In any civilized part
OF the. globe. The true quagga has been
and the bontebok are preserved to Cape
Colony only through the efforts OF ,ndivid-
ual farmers. In the west, in the kalahari
desert, and the lowlands of the east coast,
the sable antelope. the roam antelope. the
gemsbok. the eland. the wiidebeest and the
giraffe are still found. The antelope, the
noceros.. the leopard, the hyena, and. at
times OF migration, the elephant, are found
in the valley Of the Zambesi.
The most accessible hunting grounds
in the east and northeast Of the Transvaal
republic, the Portuguese territory along the
Pungwe river, the country north and north
desert. These regions are all far from any
points of the coast and from towns and
cities known r by pane me- on TINS side OF dne
for antelope, the second teens with great
quantities or all sorts of game, the third
has plenty of sable and roam antelope. and
the Kalahari desert is described as the
natural and permanent home of big game.
1t has been suggested that the region be
' The hunter r IS advised to ,"c carry flannel
shirts, moleskin jackets and breeches, or
shooting suits of gabardine, thick stockings,
leather CATERS, soft felt hat. two Kharkee
shirts, heavy overcoat. two pairs OF we'll
nailed shooting boots. two pairs of half
Wellingtons, warm, strong gloves, water
blankets. All these things and whatever
else may be needed may be bought at KIM
berly, Pretoria. or Mafeking. Loosely made
clothing of cashmere is recommended for
the hot regions. and head gear to protect
the back from the sun morning and even
ing Is needed. The South American poncho
use the military pattern of the Martini
Henry rifle for all game but elephants, and
be found where anything is sold. The
hollow bullet is a bad thing to carry If the
hunter is looking for dangerous game. and
all guns must be especially strong in the
stock The hunters drive into the game
country with a tent wagon and a team
of from sixteen to eighteen oxen A water
cart is good thing TO take along, especial
~ in the Kalahari desert. Each white man
OF the party must have a horse. If the
trip Is 70 extend beyond the winter months,
salted horses, that is. those that have had
the horse sickness, should be taken,
others are sure to catch the disease. Two
men may have a South African hunting
trip of six months for about $500, ex-
elusive Of ship and rail expenses.
The lion is extinct south of the Orange
Transvaal. The natives say there are three
sorts of lions in South Africa-the white.
the red. and the gray necked-the last being
make these distinctions. The full-grown
lion is about twelve feet from the tip of
the nose TO the end of the tail, and weighs
from four to five hundred pounds He
should be shot between the eyes or close
to the roof of the tail; 1t is said that the
shoulder shot. even though ii pierce the
heart, does not always prevent the fatal
spring A shot that breaks the shoulder is
disabling.
The leopard is usually called the tiger
in South Africa. Both he and the cheetah
often confused with the leopard. are fine
game for the hunter, but the cheetan, be-
| Ing easily killed. is almost extinct save
| in central Africa. The elephant is prac-
tically extinct for the purposes of the
| hunter OF the Zambesi, save on the east
| coast along the Pungwe river. 1t is strictly
| protected in the Transvaal and further
| south. Mining operations have driven the
| elephants from the Knysa region as the
| creatures particularly detest the noise of
| sound. When they occasionally trespass on
| south African roads they can be driven off
| by the crack of a whip. The south African
| elephant can seldom be killed by the fore
| head shot, for he lacks the soft spot there
| that makes that the fatal shot for the
| Asiatic elephant
| The white rhinoceros, recently thought
| to be extinct, is still found occasionally
| in Mashonaland. Zululand, and the Zambesi
| valley Several were shot i'm those parts
| last year. The black rhnoeeros has the
J tremely hard to find. The hippopotamus is
| still found near the mouth of the Orange
| river in Cape Colony. in the coast streams
| of Zululand. and plentifully in the streams
| OF Portuguese South Africa, in the re-
| moter parts of Mashonaland, In the upper
| waters of the Zambesi. and in Lake
| 'Ngami. The fatal shots are beneath the
| eye and behind the ear CRATES are found
| ly. and in Matabeleland. They are found
| in great numbers i'm the dryest and most
remote parts Of the Kalahari desert where
with good horse. they may be ridden