Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-07-10

Of little glade. This we did IN order
to scare away lions. and then, allowing
the old bushman to get littles weil-earned
sleep. Van Rooyen and myself kept up
the fires and from time to time turned the
horses whenever they strayed into the
darkness We had eaten nothing since the
previous evening. nor had we brought any
food with us: but to go day without food
and pass the night without blanket Is
not looked upon as any very great hard
ship by an elephant hunter, and we should
have felt quite happy had we been sure Of
overtaking our game on the morrow.
The Next Morning.
About midnight we tied the horses to a
tree close behind one Of our fires. and
then lying down ourselves with our backs
to the blaze. got what rest We could be-
fore daylight As soon as we could see we
saddled up and once more took I'D the
spoor of the elephants. which old Marman
followed at O more sober pace than on the
preceding evening, though he still got over
the ground at good sharp walk. For
mile after mile we stuck to 1t, and with
every mile the chance Of ever overtaking
them seemed to grow smaller. We had
twice off-saddled the horses and were
The cool Of early dawn had gradually
given place to a temperature which, cul-
ninating when the sun was at its zenith,
seemed at length about to become more
dipping toward the west. And yet the ele-
plants seemed further away from us than
ever. Suddenly old Marman stopped as
We came to some tracks crossing the spoor
we were following at right angles. After
a quick, eager examination he said in the
Matabele language: Their familiar spirits
amagioSD have deserted them," and then
told US that the animals we were following
were not far in front of US, as they had
recrossed their own tracks but q short
time ago.
Killed Them Mt Last.
Shortly after this we came up with the
animals themselves In some very thick
brush, and shot the two bulls. the biggest
proving to be a tusker with teeth weigh
ing slightly ever forty pounds each, while
the tusks of the smaller bull cid not weigh
quite forty pounds the pair. The Kafirs
we had left behind the previous day turn
ed up, contrary to our expectations, be-
fore dark and that night, after forty
eight hours fast. we all had a glorious
feed on elephants heart and trunk. The
next day We chopped out the tusks, and
reached our camp the Umfuli on the
evening of the fourth day after we had
left 1t. We should. however, never have
overtaken these elephants had they not
MADE turn and recrossed their own
spoor. unfortunately for them Just In front
OF us, for l believe that they had travelled
just as far during the last day and night
as they had done in the course of the pre-
siooS tWeHty-lour hours, and, judging
from my own experience on the foregoing
and many other occasions. I am Of opin-
, fon that when elephants have teen much
prosecuted they travel continually during
the whole year at the rate of from TWEEN
~ 10 hfty miles every twenty-four hours.
Ihe south African elephant unlike any
other animal with which i am acquainted
never, or at any rate, very rarely lies
doWn to rest, though he will roll in mud
or rub himself against the side of an ant
heap l make this statement advisedly.
as have seen altogether some thousands
OF elephants sleeping. but all have been
standing: nor have l ever seen even the
impression on the ground where one has
been reposing. At night elephants travel
and feed, taking their rest during the hot
test hours of the day. during which time
they stand in the shade of large trees or
In the recesses of the wait-a-bit thorn
1ungles, for which they have such a strong
prediction.
Hunting as q Business.
Elephant hunting as q business has now
become thing of the past In South Africa.
for the game Is no longer worth the candle.
In the years 1872. '73 and IA. however. al
though had to do an immense amount OF
hard work. 1 found 1t easy enough to pay
All my expenses by elephant hunting in
the country to the north and northwest of
Matabeleland. During that period hunted
entirely on foot, using the commonest of
OLD Misunderstanding trade guns and cheap
powder, that was sold to the natives in
nve-pound bags. Ny bag for the three