Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1900-10-18
BAGGING BIG GAME
IN SOUTH AFRICA.
Vast Herds Roam the Vedlts of the
Transvaal and Here the
: Hunter Finds His Paradise.
BY an American Sportsman Just re-
turned from the Transvaal.


By an American Sportsman lust re-
turned from the Transvaal.
Where is the best big game shooting
to be had? It is a question which is
often asked, with, necessarily, many
answers. Kangaroo shooting down
UNDER has a charm Of its own; India.
with it's tiger killing and pig sticking,
finds many adherents; While trapping
grizzly bears in the Rockies is not
without the element of danger so fas-
cinating to the heart of the true sports
nan
But this question has only one an
sver. think-South Africa is the hun
ter's paradise.
And when I say South Africa, I mean
those districts Of it lying nearest to
the great River Zarnbesi. The time
was, and not very far distant either.
when huge herds roar1ed over the I'M
dulating veIdt of the Orange Free
State and the TransvaaI; but if the
presence of the Uitiander has devel-
oped political problems. it has also had
"a disturbing effect upon the wild game.
\ (which has been driven further north
by the gold seeking crowds.
When once further north, however,
the hunter has his chance. Indeed,
the trouble is not TO find the game SO
much as out of SO many hunting
fields to FIX on the best. Almost any
where between the rivers Lirnpopo and
Zambesi a splendid bag may be OBJ
tanned.
Along the Linpopo Valley, especially
to the eastern side, big game could be
found. at one time, to any amount. But
through a long succession of years this
district has been the happy hunting
ground of the Transvaal Beers. And
these gentlemen have used their OPP
portunities to such good purpose that
in places the game has been shot out.
Still, even in this on~ce-faVored region
good sport can be obtained.
BONANZA OF GAME FIELDS.
Going north from the Limpopo, and
following the coach road past the
township of Tuli into Matabeleland,
another fine game preserve is passed.
The Gwanda Umzingwani and Be
1ingwe districts were at one time the
favorite hunting country OF the late
Matabele king, Lobengula, and were
simply crowded with game. But va
rious causes have operated to diminish
their nunbers-natiVe indiScriminate
shooting, rinderpest defamation, and
especially the advent of prOspectors
and miners in fairly large numbers
have all tended to drive the ami
mails to other fields. Occasionally
however, a rich Slice of luck falls tc
the lot of the adventurous anG
p~ersevering hunter. For instance
a friend Of mine went out one after
noon for a few hours sport. He was
stalking a buck, when he saw some.
thing move on the top of some rocks
SlowIy he climbed to the top, and
there, within a few PAGES of him, wa:
a lioness IN her back playing with
three pretty cubs. Simply putting
down his gun he shot her on the spo
and secured the cubs.
The only lion adventure I ever hat
was in this U~nlzin3Wani region. I hat
left BuIaWayo for u three weeks shoot
ing trip on a bicycle. Running dow
the Tuli coach ROAD, about fifty mile
from town l had a bit Of bad luck.
met a native, Wke told me that a her
of nine giraffe had crossed the roa'
about two hours before me.
I could only benloan my misfortune
and pass on. When I got to my des
tination, the camp Of a friend at tn
Geelong Gold Mine, 1 exchanged m
wheel for q horse, for he soon con
WINGED me that hunting big game on
bicycle was a little too up-to-date {
be practicable.
What with following up sable an
roam antelope, zebra herds and viii
pig, we were soon busy.
Before sun up one morning, we Sc
out on foot for the Umzingwani, wher
we thought we might locate one. &c
ing along, we followed up the spoor {
three lions for about three miles, lead
ing down to the river.
Presently we separated, my compar
ion taking the right and myself tn
left bank. AS I jumped down on I
the dry river bed I found the fres
spoor of lion in the sand with watt
tsickling ia, ALSO the half-eaten r,
mains of an Gland antelope: by thes
signs I knew that I was on the rigl
track.
OF course, I got very excited, and
my enthusiasm walked along the riv,
bed looking for lions in the long gras
Then, all at once, I remembered tn
if one were to spring out on me
should have a very poor show, SO
climbed to the top Of the bank agai
A BIG FIND.
I had gone about three hundr,
yards IN the breast-high grass, kee
ing a pretty careful lookout wh'
suddenly two little lion cubs got
from almost ander my feet, and ma,
off. I snot cna. aud soon the moth
came along only to share the fate
her Dung.
One of the. best gane regions sou
of the Zanbesi is the country known
the Pungwe Flats, IN Portuguese Ea
Africa