Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1909-06-25

UNE %, 1905
managed to reach n small island.
communion started to cross to the aid
of the victim when the crocodile at
tackled horse and rider, breaking the
horses neck and cutting the would be
rescucr deeply with its sharp pointed.
grlsly claws.
"Thc ncudish brute almost stihcd
me with Its horrible breath, and its
claws felt like the grip Of some mis-
shupcn submarine devil who coveted
me for his neither place OF torment.
later said the rider after Williams was
got to camp. where he (WillinmS) soon
died The disturbance rousrL scores OF
croc"diles to the surface, nn4 it scrm-
ed puSsihle to walk from the island to
the mainland on their backs.
Many SpOrtSmCn experienced in AZ
ricn state that the best mode Of killing
them is to appronch their summing
spots carefully and shoot them while
asleep. The creatures sleep with their
mouths wide open and in and out Of
which the black backed plUNrr walks
and hops with marked unconcern.
Shots at the body of tn" crocodile
should be aimed at rs close to Il right
angle as possible or in such way that
the bullet strikes the hide sQunrely.
for bullet Is easily detected 10y the
scaly surface otherwise.
Chrvrulains are handsome little ami
mails. often said to belong t" the musk
deer family, but scientists claim that,
examined anntomically, they are shown
to have no such relationship.
a dainty, shupely. truly graceful lit
lie animal, the fine quality OF his flesh
leads to his undOing by hungry hunt
ers and Curniv Orous beasts of prey.
Weighing from five to seven pounds
and about n foot and Il half high, Mr..
Roosevelt will find him a welcome
addition to his African bill of camp
fare.
Extremely arduous work is frequent
ly undergone in bringing down an
telupes Of the African woods and
footed and inveterate overcomrrs Of
natural obstacles that halt native and
white men, they coyly prick up their
ears when the hunter gets within gum
shot and gayly skip out Of reach like
tirtutiouS debutantes at Il smart CO.
tillon. The elund Is the largest of all
antelnpes, and owing to his indisrrimi-
nate slaughter the officials in British
East Africa have forbidden the shoot
ing of him.
Captain james Forsyth describes n
male panther that, getting a craze for
human blood. actually killed a hun
drcd natives, countless cattle, etc.
Finally Il native, an nSknri, whose
family had lost members through the
beast was detailed to go int" the jun
gle and bring back that ramthrrS skin
or else never to appear again. After
days and nights Of dangerous exposure
the aSknri finally located the panther
near Il pool where animals came to
drink. Lying almost all night in the
bushes, the askari saw the beast come
down to the waters edge and, obtain
ing good side shot at him. cmrtird a
| muZZle loading shotgun half full of
lead slugS and pieces Of irui, into the
brute After several minutes of indie
scribnblc contortions, lcaping and
twisting the panther lay dead. "Whrn
the uSkari returned with the head Of
the leopard" said Captain Forsyth
"there were much teasting and disSipa-
ton"
In some sections of Africa the pan
ther IS held in such terror that he Is
made part Of the crude machinery OF
native justice. a native who has COM
mittcd some Offensc. stealing, assault.
etc, is condemned to 60 into the jungle
and kill panther. If the native re
turns with the head and hide Of q
freshly killed beast he is immediately
pardOued
A theory Of various experts on Afri-
can fauna is that many curious ami
mails exist as yet unseen by white
men because these animals only ven
ture forth from their hiding places at
night, when hunters and explorers are
either asleep or engaged in seeking
particular kinds Of game. Mr.. RoOse-
velt's plan is to do considerable still
hunting at night as a possible means
of securing specimens Of these un-
known beasts and thus becoming Il
further contributor to the worlds
store Of wild animal knowledge.
AS an aid to this end was Mr.. ROOse
velt's conference in Washington with
Sir Harry Johnston, governor Of East
Africa and celebrated explorer.
Though the diScOverer Of the unique
Okapi, Sir Harry could not secure
d live specimen. Mr.. Roosevelt Is con-
fident Of obtaining a live okapi, as ho
will cross the heart Of the region where
the animal is found in Uganda.
The okapi is the wonderful new
beast that looks like a cross between
giraffe, an antelope and a zebra.
though such hybridization does not nc
| tually occur. Scientists have found
the geologic remains Of a creature like
the okapi in Greece, but supposed it
long extinct. Henry Nj. Stanley heard
! Of 1t among the central African pyg-
mics, but was content to call 1t a
donkey" 1t remained for Sir Harry
| to explore the almost impenetrable
forests Of the Uganda, and he succeed
ed in shooting an okapi, the skin and
skeleton Of which he sent back to
England. X has proved the most i'm
! J.