The Farmville herald. [volume] (Farmville, Va.) 1890-1934, 1900-03-23
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J Watching a Troop of
\ Elephants by Moonlight
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BY 3. Vaughn Kirby.


I ET me endeavor to describe the
camp and it's surroundings. so that
the reader may become a participator
in the thrilling events, and share IN
imagination the feelings of awe and
wonderment with which | gazed upon
a scene such &c few hunters have wit
messed. A clear. limpid stream, ~
yards wide, flowing over a smooth
sandy bottom between low banks COW
cred with reeds. ten to twelve feet in
height. On the right bank the recd
fringe. dense but narrow, separates the
stream from a wide level terrace, GOV
cred with short grass, struggling bush,
and here and there fine spreading in
chenga tree. This terrace-which in
flood time Is covered with water-runs
back for a distance of 30 yards to the
real food bank Of the stream, 20 feet
above its present level. On the top and
edge of the bank. under shelter of
huge inchenga, ny camp is pitched.
Forest trees surround II, and In the
branches of those nearest to the tent
are hung masks and skins dry or dry
ing, skulls and horns finding a rest
ing place I'm some trees at greater dis
tance from the tent, while on a plat
form of logs, under grass thatch, IS
a pile Of tusks. Beyond camp stretches
an extent of park-like forest. Across
the river there is no open bench be-
tween it and the flood bank but broad
and almost impenetrable area of reeds,
growing on the sandy ridges and in the
intervening holiows, through which at
times branches of the stream flow.
Above, on the opposite high bank, the
forest is excessively dense. full of low,
thick Jungle, and lacking the park-like
appearance of the country on the
right bank. In the light Of day the
viewis a color-scene of great brillianev,
for II is now nearly midsummer, and
the green reeds are in flower. the aca-
cias In blossom, and hung with sweet
scented balls Of pink and gold flowers,
many Of which give forth delicious
perfumes, are spread In clustering
spangles through the vivid green of
the young grass, or hung in festoons
of color from the larger trees.
The forest itself is a wealth Of TO-
nage and color, to which my descrip-
tive powers cannot do iustic. Brilliant
butterflies fit from flower TO flower,
while every now and then a black and
yellow swallow-taii darts through the
forest openings, skimmlng past the
tent into the forest beyond, and drag
on-fies of startling color dart on gauzy
wings among the reeds. Ringfishers
seek their food among the arching
branches. sweet-voiced birds at morn
and evening court admiration, while
myriads of insects swell the murnur-
ing voices Of these solitudes even In
the intense heat of MONDAY. But now
the sun has set In the glowing west,
and the threatening thunder-clouds
have passed away; the troops of the
"monkcy-people" have drunk their fill
and sought their resting places among
the topmost boughs in the forests;
doves have cooed their evening lula
by. and francolins uttered their CHEEKY
good night; the brief twilight is past,
and the moon is over all. hanging like
silver shield in q sky of blue, stud
ded with stars. whose brilliancy the
dweller in northern ATTITUDES cannot
know. In the open il is still as light
as day, but in the shadows Is the dark
ness of night. IT was a moonlight
night, such as might be experienced in
any other part of the tropical zone.
and confirmation was yet required that
the scene was that of a hunters camp
in the wids Of Africa. About $3.50 p.
m. had finished the various little du-
ties which have to be attended to in
camp after the days sport is over.
had cleaned my rifles. written up my
diary. and, having smoked my evening
half-pipe of tobacco. had turned into
my mosquito-net, both ends Of the tent
remaining open. Perhaps there was less
talking among the boys that night-at
any rate the camp seemed quieter than
usual-andinh half an hour | was asleep.
Suddenly l awoke, conscious that a
loud. hoarse sound like-yet unlike
that made by lion when seizing its
prey, was ringing in my ears. followed
by a rush, a crash and a plaintive cry,
such as a buffalo calf utters when
deprived Of It's dam. ! sprang up in
my cot. listening, and saw a dark form
creeping toward the tent, and then
Doiambl, one of the carriers, crouched
49,