Evening star., 1903-07-28
HUNTING ELEPHAN rs
HOW THE NATIVES GET BIG GAME
ON THE WHITE NILE.
Wild Animals Infest Part Of Africa
South of Khartoum and Near
Fashoda.
From the London Graphic.

1 From the London Graphic.
| Bordering the White Nile, some three
! hundred miles south of Khartoum and ex-
| tending some two hundred miles further
| south to near Fashoda. is fine a big
game country is to be found in Africa
| The following species abound either
| bank of the river: Elephant giraffe bur-
| falo. lon leopard. Cheetah. sewal. roam
| antelope, waterbuck, tora harteboest best
| ard hartebeest, white cared cob. reedbuct.
| gazelle ostrich, hippopotamus. warthos.
etc. The pursuit of game in this district.
as also In the rest of the Soudan. is closely
restricted by the Soutan game laws. which
| are everywhere rigidly enforced. The kill
| ing of elephant and buffalo with large bore
| rifles. though doubtless exciting sport. does
not compare with the method practiced by
| the Selim Baggara Arabs, who hunt them
| on horseback armed only with their broad
| headed spears.
In this sport the white man is practically
precluded from taking active part. ow-
| ing to the nature of the bush and cotton
| soil Their plan is as follows: Parties of
| from four to ten men. riding about nine
| to ten stone. mounted on thirteen hand
! Abyssinian ponies. price thirty to forty
| sheep e. e. f3 tof4. for the price of sheep
! here averages about 2s), accompanied by
their women and donkeyS, encamp near
some spot known to be the drinking place
| Of the elephants These, however, only
| drink about every third night. and pass the
| interim some twenty miles or more in
| dense and waterless jungle. The hunters
| having settled their camp on the river.
| leave their women in charge and them
| selves sleep the night some eight or tea
miles inland and to leeward Of the numer-
GUS elephant tracks leading to the river.
| Trumpeting of the Herd.
| If in luck. they will probably hear tho
| herd trumpeting during the night. and, in
any case at the first break of dawn, ev-
cry man will be in the saddle. and they at
| once proceed to draw up wind for fresh
spoor. 1t may be here remarked their
toilet is not extensive. their hunting kit
| being little more than nature gave them,
as pra ctically all clothes dispensed with
| in order to facilitate passage through the
| holding "wait "a bit ''kitr bush. Oc
casionally the elephants are met returning
| leisurely from their libations, which sim
| plifies matters considerably but more often
| they have compaSsed the ten miles from
| the river. and by dawn are well on their
way to their home in the thckest bush, as
| a rule twenty miles from the river.
| If the latter be the case. on hitting OF
| the spoor the Arabs at once dash off with
| wild hoorooshes in headlong pursuit along
| the plainly visible track, and continue with
| top speed. with here and there momen-
| tary check. regardless of all obstacles, such
as fallen trees. branches. deep baked ele
phant tracks. bulfnches of ''wait-a-hit'
bush. and the worst of cotton soil. until
| they come UP to the herd or marx tNem
| to ground after perhaps a ten-nile point
| In the impenetrable kitr bush which serves
| as sanctuary for them. On nearing the
elephants the cows often turn and chal-
| lenge their pursuers before being actually
| molested; however. in any case battle
| royal is shortly begun. The Arabs. one by
| one, thrusting deXterously with their keen.
| broad -bladed spears at the hindquarters Of
| the selected elephant. are each in turn pur
| sued but only to return and renew the
attack afTeSh.
| Drops From Loss Of Blood.
| Eventually the mighty pachyderm SUBJ
| sides. weak from the loss of blood from
| many wound. and is then at the mercy
| of his wildly vocfferating assaiants. Now
| and again fall at a critical moment
| leaves an Arab an easy victim to the in
| furiated beast: but so nmble are these
| hard and wiry men that fatal or even seri-
| Gus accidents are rare. On the fall of the
| elephant messengers are at once dispatched
| to the camp on the Nile. now. perhaps.
| twenty miles distant to inform the women.
who hastily collect all available donkeyS
| and waterskins and forthwith set out for
| the scene of the kill to bring home the meat
| and the much priced hide and ivory.
The ponies meanwhile have probably been
! without water since the previous afternoon
| and will now have a long jog back to the
| river, which they may possibly reach about
pm, by which time the tempera ture will
| be nearer 1lo degrees than lVn degrees in
| the shade. Buffalo sticking IS carried out
| on similar lines. but is less severe on the
| ponies. they seldom travel more than
| four or five miles from the river. Giraffe
! also afford the Arabs excellent and less
| dangerous sport. and their hide makes the
| best of sandals and shields. Such was the
| training ground of the devoted cavalry of
| the khalifa. who charged with such mag
| aiticent and reckless bravery up the glacis
10 the muzzles of the magazine rifles and
| machine guns In the British zeriba at Om-
| lurman. Now all Is forgiven and forgotten
| and British officer is q welcome and hon
| ored guest among them. and is treated
| with the utmost courtesy and hospitality.