Barre evening enterprise. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-1898, 1898-05-18
HUNTING ELEPHANTS
AAtXCITING ADVENTURE IN THE UP
PER KONGO REGION.

rhe Mad Hush Of the Startled Giants
Through the Dense Forest Foliage - A
Shot and a Tumble Into a Swamp Hole
Just In the Nick of Time.
Mr.. Herbert Ward relates in Cassell's
Magazine some exciting experiences
That befcll him in the course of an ele-
phant hunt in the forests of Mobunga,
district near the upper Kongo river.
This country. which is inhabited by
Mobunga caEnibals, had not been visit
ed by white man before. Having been
successful in reaching favorite ground
for elephants, his guides left the hunter
at midnight, returning in their canoe.
"After f1oundering about for some
time" be says, II at length found an
elephant path. The cane was trodden
into the sodden ground about four feet
in width, and the path led straight
across the middle of the bamboo patch.
On either side of the path the cane grew
so thickly that found it almost impos-
sible to penetrate. A storm was raging.
l distinctly heard elephants forcing
their way through the forest in order
evidently to reach some open space
where they might be safe from falling
trees.
"In the Intern ttent flashes of light
ming I occasionally got glimpse of
their great, ghostly forms approaching
the cane patch. and as the storm in
creased in fury the sound of elephants
stampeding in all directions through the
thick mass of bamboos impressed me in
a most uncomfortable manner Each
moment l feared being tramrlod. The
floundering, heavy footsteps occasional.
ly seemed to approach within a few
yards of me, and distinctly heard the
frightened squeals of baby elephants as
they plunged and stun bled in the
swamp.
1.-THE storm ceased as suddenly as it
came and in the subsequent lull there
was constant dripping of water in the
forest and the sound of falling branches.
The elephants appeared to BIZ standing
motionless, and the air was once again
, filled with the eternal music of mosqui
toes.
"With the first indication Of dawn
my spirits rose, and I carefully wiped
the mud from my rifle with the ragged
sleeve Of my shirt. While it was still
too dark to distinguish the surround
: ings l could plainly hear elephants
stirring in all directions. Crawling
some little distance along the sloppy
path, suddenly distinguished the out
!, line of an elephants head and back cut
! ting sharp against tie gray morning
, sky. 1t was impossible in that light to
! estimate distance.
"Creeping cautiously forward, was
startled two or three times by low.
y rumbling sorsd peculiar to elephants
=, and which is in some way connected
- with their digestion. The cane patel
appeared to be perfect haven of refuge
+, for elephants during the storm, for ca
. every side there came audible evidences
:. of their presence.
;, "When within what Judged to b
70 PAGES of my elephant, was just abb,
q to discern his cars, Tapping spasmOd
y ically to beat off the mosquitoes az,
6 sand flies that lowered around him, ali
- his trunk swinging listlessly among tia
: tramrlod cane. as if in search Of some
y thing edible Gradually Noticed Ger
:, tain restiveEess, as though the anilna
), was conscious Of danger. Raising hi
= trunk in the air, be shifted in varlc.,
directions until his head was turns,
- straight toward me.
"Realizing that my presence was dis
y covered and that there was not an Iii
. slant to lose, | took a steady aim at hi;
Il left shoulder and fired. The recoil
my eight bore rife knocked me back
:, ward, and as struggled in the cane en-
~ tangled slush, enveloped in smoke,
i was conscious of u deafening uproar. III
W. rifle report echoed strangely through tn
- forest, and the startled elephants charg
- ed madly forward in every direction
y crashing through the dense foliage llk
~ giant locomotives.
~ "By the time regained ny feet az
had run aside to he clear from til
- smoke found my elephant slowly ris
y ing from the ground BY this time
:, was within Is PAGES Of the beast an
~ fully realized the necessity of firing
~ fatal shot. Trembling with excitement
- l fred point blank at the animal Tor;
=, head, and, quickly STOPPING below tn
. . smoke, l caught sight of jet of bloc
- squirting from the wound, while til
~, ~ ponderous beast slowly sank to til
~ ground again-dead.
~ "Reloading in haste, l took two sna
- shots at an elephant rushing Fast liz
j., without other effect, however, than
;" stop his progress. He stood fer Iii
% ment gazing at me and twitching b
" tail. Owing to wet or dirt found diff
" Guilty in opening my rifle, and in spit
of frantic efforts could not make I'll
lever act. can we'll recall the feeliil
,o of blank despair when the wounde
=. ~ beast, with coiled trunk and ears cree
- yushed forward with shrill scream.
"a Il darted aside and fortunately fel
=; lost to view in a swamp hole, complet
~, ly covered with mass OF vines ~
~ branches. There I lay breathless !.
u, some moments listening to the tlou
y derings Of the wounded elephant. /
t. length the noise died away, and wit