The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-05-31
PINGREE AFTER BIG GAME.
Describes His First EIephan Hunt
In south Africn.

D.
American.
Duhban, South Africa, April 1.-There
were four of us who went up from Port
Elizabeth to Cradock on business, viz:
Colonel Ell r. Sutton. Walter Sutton.
his brother, who Is employed by the
colonial government to bore wells; Joe,
my son, and myself On our way up we
had passed through the district inhabited
by elephants. A farmer, who lives about
ten or fifteen miles from Aldo, a rail
road station located in the midst of the
elephant district, had persuaded us to
stop over on our return for an elephant
hunt.
As all the horses which can be found
in this part of Africa have either been
Communicated by the British or taken
by the Beers, we were told by Mr.. Will
let's the farmer, that IL we accepted
mis- invitation 1t would be necessary for
us to ind horses for our party with
the exception Of two, which he had kept
in hiding I'm charge of a Kafir back in
the mountains. one Of these which he
said was the better one, he proposed that
/ should ride, and that he would ride the
other. He guaranteed that the horse
would keep me out Of reach of the ele-
plants, but before giving him a definite
answer ! told him 1 would make some In
quiries in Cradock about the horse, and
az l found 1t was all he had described 1
would agree to stop a week with him, II
necessary, to shoot an elephant.
Preparing for the Hunt.
/ found out that what Mr.. Willett said
about the horse was true. So, when we
left Cradock, at $50 o. clock in the fore
noon Aldo was our destination Walter
sutton had written Mr. Wiliett that we
would arrive either Tuesday or Wednes-
day (the second week in April,) and for
him to make effort to secure three
horses. We arrived at Aldo at o'clock
in the afternoon. Mr.. Willet was at the
station to meet u.s. and he drove us out
to his farm. Walter Sutton had pro-
cured one elephant gun in Cradock and
two Lee-Metfords and Winchester
sporting rifle.
Kaftir called us promptly at $50
o'clock the next morning. He gave US
coffee, and told us the "Baas'' was ready
drank my coffee, put on my old white
shirt without the collar and cuffs and
went out to see my horse IAN right" he
said, lit Is that bay over yonder"
In addition to my rife [ carried Joe's
revolver, so that he could carry a kodak
The Dutchman said if we got in close
range he could shoot an elephants eye
out with the revolver The first day we
SlaNVi1u dDouL tHhty uilieS we saw no
elephants, but we did find some stale
elephant tracks, which they call "spoor."
During the day we had seen plenty OF
springbok and other kinds of deer. Will
4etts made the Kaffirs we had with us lie
down early, telling them they would have
to 20 on ahead a. midnight
We did not start again in the morning
until about O'clock, when we followed
up the tran the kafnrs had taken, and
al a. a..I
go -. - a. -. t" an. prow.ns
- a.,,',.a A. ne ~ .a
49, 1.o.,,s.s' 49, 81 1nO -.
~. ~. ,,oiIa. 80 n,s,, ~ ie. a. . ~
49,, W. =, 70 ,ali'.s' Aeb' III '"e
O'N"' ~
'"c n"s"e"
All next day we hunted until about
O'clock In the afternoon, without any bet
ter success, when one OF the Kaffirs ran
up and said that he had discovered fresh
spoor' which he was certain had been
made that day | asked him how he knew
they were fresh tracks NO dew fall on
them spoor, baas" he said. The farmer
told us to go on with our lunch, and he
would go apd investigate. After being
absent about half an hour he returned
apd said that the kaffir was right; that
the elephants could not be more than
-FOUR or hve miles away, as the tracks
were very fresh. We Immediately broke
camp. and the farmer told the Kaffirs to
follow up the tracks, and to blow their
horns Just once when they caught
glimpse Of the elephants. as we would
follow close behind them.
Willetts cautioned us not to let our
horses get their heads down. for" said
ne, "a morse Is more atrlad or elephants
ti,en, tbev yin b. d,gic,,it 20 rosrsso :.
sc,. -,