The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1900-03-29
watching a Troop of
Elephants by Moonlight
Eye. Vaughn Kirby.

EFT me cndeavor to describe the
camp and its surroundings, SO that
t6e reader may become participator
4 the thrilling events, and share in
imaginatien.the feelings of awe and
xusderment with which l gazcd upon
scene such as few hunters have wit
nessed. A clear. limpid stream, 20
yards wide, flowing over smooth
ssndy bottom, between low banks COW
efed with reeds. ten to twelve feet in
height. On the right bank the reed
fringe, dense but narrow, separates the
stzeam from o wide level terrace, cor
sasd with short grass, struggling bush,
~ here and there a fine spreading in
dAeusa tree. This terrace-which in
nod time is covered with water-runs
lack for distance of 30 yards to the
nal Hood bank of the stream, 90 feet
tboIe its present level. On the top and
edge Of the bank. under Shelter of a
huge inchenga, my camp is pitched.
1arest trees surround it, and in the
ranches of those nearest to the tent
~ fdng masks ana skins dry or dry
hs, skulls and horns finding rest
ng place in some trees at a greater dis
faace from the tent, while on plat
icfm OF logs, under grass thatch, is
epsle OF tusks. Beyond camp stretches
g extent of park-iike forest. Across
sAe river there is no open bench be-
Meenit and the food bank but a broad
and almost impenetrable area of reeds.
lerlng on the sandy ridges and in the
intervening hollows, through which at
tlnses branches of the stream flow.
Move, on the opposite high bank, the
m.est !. is excessively dense, full of low.
mick jungle, and lacking the park-likc
appearance of the country on the
nga. bank. In the light of day the
uewis . color-scene of great brilliancy,
IT . Is now nearly midsummer, and
sae ereen reeds are in flower, the aca-
s'ss N blossom. and hung with sweet
sesnsed balls of pink and gold flowers,
many Of which give forth delicious
pstlames, are spread in clustering
4 ne'es through the vivid green of
'.s Young grass. or hung in festoons
Z. color from the larger trees.
AAe forest itself is a wealth of TO-
5 ss and color, to which my descrip-
a.s powers cannot do iustic. Brilliant
.ss .Mfnies fit from flower to flower.
.,.N every now and then black and
ssl'ow swallow-tail darts through the
.s.s $3.50. openings, skimming past the
~ :. INTO the forest beyond, and drag
VS. q startling color dart on gauzy
among the reeds. Kingfishers
- .ueE food among the arching
enes, sweet-yoiced birds at morn
~ senng court admiration, while
aaas OF insects swell the murnur
q u'ces OF these solitudes even in
e n'ehse heat Of MONDAY. But now
"a. ssn mas set in the glowing west,
ae threatening thunder-clouds
tsssed away; the troops of the
y-people' have drunk their fill
~ aent their resting places among
1opnost boughs in the forest:
u nave coned their evening lula
s.. shq francolins uttered their cheery
~ ssSe night; the brief twilight is past,
- !, sne moon is over all, hanging like
~ s shield in sky of blue, stud
Nth stars, whose brilliancy the
ls - IN northern ATTITUDES cannot
!. ~. s1 N the open it is still as light
s ont in the shadows is the dark
#s..s A q night. n was, a moonlight
~ 8 such as might be experienced in
~ ~ esnsr part of the tropical zone.
4 - onilrmation was yet required that
I. ne was that of q hunters camu
q s Rllds Of Africa. About :ao o,
p gag finished the various little dn-
5 aach have to be attended to in
sfter the days sport is over,
aned my rifles, written MP my
- having smoked my evsuiax
zzs5SssT -