New-York tribune., 1909-05-02
DANGERS OF BIG
GAME HUNTING
AFRICAN BUFFALO 4 Willy
FOE.
Pursuit Of Elephant Erhausting and
Nerre Racking Cunning Of Leo
-Brauery Of .SOmdlis.

rCopyriEht 1909 by The Century Company Al rights
reserved.l
BY many sportsmen the African buffalo IS con-
sidered a far more dangerous antagonist than the
Hon. Loving the shade and concealnent OF papyrus
sNarnps. dense forests and fifteen feet high ele-
phant grass, buffaoes seldom until one IS
within few yards. and often few feet, Of them.
Herds OF buffalo seldom charge a deliberately,
hut when startled by the Of the sportsman or
by shot they stampede. and often come thunder
ing straight upon the hunter, who is lucky indeed
81 rapid and close shooting turns them. The real
danger with buffalo is with wounded beast or In
with lone bull The latter viii often
charge from no more provocation than the sight OF
q man. Recently officer or the Kings African
Rifles was spooring elephant near Mount Kenia
when he sighted lone buffalo TO his right Keen
FOR his elephant. he made wide detour 10 the left
Of the line of spoor. TO avoid the chance OF having
10 defend himself against the buffalo When well
past the point where he had the buffalo he
turned 70 the spcor: but before he had followed IL
thirty yards. and before he could turn spring
aside. the buffalo. which had been stalking 10 inter-
cept him caught him It's horns and tossed him
I'D into the fat top minosa tree where.
luckily he lodged comparatively unhurt- And there
up the tree the doughty old buffalo held him till
uightfaul
A wounded buffalo is vastly more dangerous when
he away than when he charges, for in nine
cases out of ten, after a dash that may for a
Few hundred yards a mile, he viii revengefully
circle back 10 interceptiOn Of his own trail.
comes plOddng along the trail. and then charge
upon him.
While easily stalked, the rhinoceros is q danger
customer. VIII agree who have
hunted him. especially Benjamin Eastwood, chief
accountant of the Uganda Railway. who was nearly
frsmpIed death by one. the actual loss Of
above the elbow II the rhinoceros gets ones
he almost invariably charges often, probably,
from sheer curiosity; but that does not make him
any the easier TO dispose Of Moreover. he runs
H.
his vast bulk Against his massive. sloping head
the heaviest bullet is a mere heabite. leaving no
possibility of a stopping shot except with hard
ball sent fairly into the heart through the
chest An alternative is to stand absolutely motion
less. when with his bad eyesight there a posi-
bility may mistake you for tree, and past.
Indeed, the best in the crisis of any charge Is
10 stand fast and still; for even the unwounded
lion swerves in his charge and retires before man
who has the await his coming.
Doubtless the exhausting and nerve racldnr
vork Of the African sportsman is the pursuit of
elephant They not often found except by fol-
lowing their narrow paths between walls of
bamboo thicket. jungle tangie. elephant grass.
50 entirely impenetrable 20 the hunter that escape
from the path is impossible, and II meets an
spproa ching. frightened herd IN such path the
. chance Of escape is virtually zero. Rarely does
cne elephant until within few yards of them.
u Often the sportsman Will find himself squarelv IN
the middle of feeding herd. viii hear them break
.ng limbs tearing up roots within five ten
feet OF him. all sides. and yet be unable to see
ons elephant Like any other youngsters. the baby
elephants viii be playing about the outer edge OF
the herd: the first alarm the mothers rush about
trunpeting for their young. and It is in such a
moment that the elephant hunters greatest danger
lies. Imprisoned in bush through which elephants
easily crash sportsman is in collision with the
beast before there is time stop him with a shot
sn the chest, the only vital spot IN a charging
African elephant. time for the elephant.
from surprise fear. to swerve-