Sistersville daily oil review. [volume] (Sistersville, W. Va.) 1902-1905, 1904-02-06
BIG GUN
HUNTING
downright. 1903. by c. B. Lewis


when l had been there for couple o.
weeks British survey steamer came
In to fill up her crew. She had been
surveying up the Congo and was bound
south to the Great Fish river. The
steamer carried forty men all told and
was QUILTED with two 9-pounders
and plenty of small arms. She had
lost five men up the Congo by fever,
and when | offered myself | was at
once taken.
1--WE were week working up to the
forks of the Great Orange river, and
then the fun began. The Great Fish.
for about 100 miles above the forks, Is
about as wide as the Hudson, with
depth Of from four to seven fathoms.
There never was an hour in the day
that we couldn't see elephants, lions
or rhinoceroses along the shores.
1--WE had been steaming slowly up
stream for about ten days before the
river narrowed to about half It's for
mer width, and then we began to have
trouble with the natives. They had
no firearms, but they could hurl lances
or shoot arrows from the banks to the
steamer. and we had to be on the
dodge all the time. Our 9-pounders
were kept loaded, and now and then
when the black fellows got too daring
we sent shell whizzing among the
thickets and scared them half to death.
zone day, when the fringe Of forest
along the right bank suddenly ended
and gave place to a long stretch Of
grassy plain. we came to anchor, and
three Of the survey men landed TO
stir up big rhinOcerOs who could be
seen standing under q tree half a mile
back from the water. They were young
fellows and full of daring. and heard
the captain caution them when they
left the steamer.
1--WE could see all that subsequently
took place. The old rhino had never
seen a steamer before. but he wasn't
a bit curious. If he had ever seen
hunters before he had no fear Of them.
He Just stood there in the shade, bows
on to us, and didn't trouble to figure
out what might happen. The three
men separated on landing to get in
the rear Of the big beast and cut off
his escape. but he wasn't thinking of
running away. He let two Of the men
creep up till within range, and 1t SEEM
ed to us as II we heard the thud or
their bullets when they struck against
his thick hide. They were ounce bull
let's driven by big charges Of powder,
but they might as well have been fired
against a stone wall The rhino gave
q start as they struck him, and then
down went his head and up went his
tail, and he charged at the man who
was creeping head on.
"The surveyors had made mess
Of the thing, and there was bound TO
be a calamity. They had taken the
rhino for noodle head, whereas he
knew his business to dot. The man
Mt whom he charged had no cover eN-
cept here and there bush. | don't
know whether he should have run TO
| the right or left or stood still, but
what he did do was to fling down his
gun and make back for the river. III"
had pretty near half mile TO 20. an'
| he was a good sprinter, but that rhino
| had a full head Of sail on him.
"He came on like ship running
before a hurricane, and about ten rods
| from the bank he overlook the fleeing
man and tossed him ten feet Into the
| air. AS the body came down he caught
It and tossed 1t again and then flung
| II about in way that could have left
| no life In II after few minutes.
"The other chaps pluckily ran down
| and fred two bullets apiece into the
beast. but when he charged them they
made a bolt for and climbed the tree
under which he had been standing mt
first. When he found them beyond
| his reach the rhinO began running
| about In circle, and 1t was then
that we cleared away one Of the
8 FOUNDERS and opened fire on him. As
he was on the move the first two shells
didn't even throw dirt on him. but
he third struck him fair amidShips
and exploded.
Another boat was sent ashore. and
| was one Of those who landed from II
We found the surveyor dead ana VIII
every bone broken. and as for I'll"
rhino he was sight to see.
1.-TWO nights after that and twenty
miles above we anchored in midStr"am
for the night. 1t was bright moon
light night. and up to midnight things
passed off very quietly. Then troop
of elephants came down to the shore to
drink. 1t was In my watch. and !
counted fourteen big fellows and two
kids. They were just opposite US and
not over forty rods away, but were not
at all alarmed by our presence.
After drinking and splashing around
for awhile. two big bulls got into Il
| row. | couldn't make out the cause OF
1t. but they hadn't been scrapping over
two minutes when the rest Of the herd
| Joined in. and there was n row to beat