Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-07-25
\ CLOSED TERRITORY
w. Seen from a Rhino's Bed
BY EDGAR BEECHER BRONSON
Author Of "Reminiscences of . Ranchman"

Author "Reminiscences Nanchi
T0HE last day of the old year 1908 we did a hard
march of sixteen miles, the first two-thlrds
over the rolling, bloWy, short erased Mau
Plateau through almost solid herds of game ignorant
of man. his weapons, and his guile the first
of their species, game that at first fled madly at
sight of u.s. and then often troted back out OF sheer
curiosity to near approach The sight carried me
back to plains of the early 7Os; for in form,
in color and in action though not in size in pelt
the wildebeest at few hundred yards so closely re-
sembles the American bison that any oldtimer might
easily fancy himself transported back, by some
happy miracle to the days of his youth and the old
buffalo range that now remain no more than a mem
ory to the few still living who knew them with
any intimacy.
During the morning shot particularly fine buck.
which Judd and Outram agreed was not true
Grant, Unless Roberts,, it hitherto
recorded species Smaller of bulk than the common
Grant, its horns have much greater spread and an
three and one-fourth inches in height the outer
and nineteen inches spread tip to tip Clearly
the buck was no individual freak; for we
many like him that it perfectly plain he the
Characteristic type of Southern Mau Grant,
The last third Of this days march descent of
one thousand feet through maze Of dry, rocky
guches and dense thorn scrubs that tore everything
tearable to tatters, and added few gashes to
arms and hands which already looked and felt if
they had done active service in leopard fight.
A Close Call for Water
THIS night for the first time our hitherto unfal-
terng guide failed readily to find the water holes
for which he steering In fact for half the after
little column lost in three separate
tons each from the Others and Outram lost to all OF
us, and it not until sunset that, by shooting,
yelling and smoke signaling, Judd and got the lot
once more together, just Outram stumbled out of
the thorns rent and bleeding from his two hours
prowl through the guches, with the good news that
he had water.
And right where he got the water most others
would have sat and died of thirst. But scant inch
of slightly damp clay at the foot of high overhang
ing bank barely dozen stalks of marsh grass,
which looked as If it would sell its birthrght for
bit of real marsh cuddng close to the damp clay in
the bottom of sandy, stony gulch, dry bone,
had been enough catch the eye of veteran of the
West Australian desert And after an hours digging
with shove.s and crowbars, we got hole in the sand
that we found could rely on to fill about once
hour, which, full, held about two buckets of good
water,-ttle enough for fifty and thirty beasts
but still enough.
Memories of Other New Years
A ND there that night walled in by the close crowd
= ing thorn that left scant room for camp,
with less of water within day S march of us than
the champagne gilded youth and guilty age pour out
on New Years Ewes at Rectors, my tired mates and
pOrterS turned in.
With no sound in nay ears but the sough of the
night breeze through the CHASTITY gray branches of
thorn scrub, the yelps of jackals, the howls of
rauding hyenas and the distant grunts of two prowl
ing lion, sat alone and the Old Year out and
the New in lost in sequent visions, forming the
bright enbers of my campfire and disappearing in
their ashes, of many merrier New Years Eve with
dearly loved hands in reach and dearly loved lips
toasting the best visions of such nights home
at Sherrys and Delmonicos, at old Martins and
new, visions clear and real that presently the
sweet measures of the Monte Christie waltz were de-
lighting my ears, voices babbling glasses tinklng.
laughter ringing, -and then, suddenly rousing to
realization of fire turned all ghostly gray the
shrouding walls of thorn and night chill not
SO white, as many New Years Eve at home. l