Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-05-15

managed to reach small island, A
companion started to Cross to thaltid
Of the victim when the crocodile at-
tackled horse and rider, breaking tina
horses neck and cutting the would sbe
rescuer deeply with its sharp poantad
grisly claws.
1.-THE fendish brute almost stfded
me with Its horrible breath, ana its
claws felt like the grip of some mds-
shapen submarine devil who coveted
me for his neither place of torment.
later said the rider after Williams was
got 10 camp, where he (Williamsl soon
died. The disturbance reused seores,of
crocodiles to the surface, and 1t SEEM
ed possible to walk from the island to
the mainland on their backs.
Many sportsmen experienced IN AZ.
RIGA state that the best mode OF killing
them is to approach 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 plover waiRs
and hops with marked unconcern.
Shots at the body Of the crocodile
should be aimed at as close to right
angle as possible or In such way that
the bullet strikes the hide aquarely,
for bullet is easily detected by the
! scaly surface otherwise.
Ci1evrotains are handsome little ami:
| mails, often said to belong to the musk
deer family, but scientists claim that,
examined anatomically, they are 'sh0mu
to have no such relationship.
A dainty, shapely. truly graceful siit
tie animal, the fine quality of his fest
leads to his undoing by hungry hunh
ers and carnfvorous beasts Of preN
Weighing from five to seven pounds
and about foot and half high, Mr.
Roosevelt win find him welcoN
addition to his African bill Of camp
| fare.
Extremely arduous work is freqnent
ly undergone in bringing down an,
telopes of the African woods and
plains. Sure scented, farseeing, feet
| footed and inveterate overcomers OF
| natural obstacles that halt native and
white men, they coyly prick up their
ears when the hunter gets within gun.
shot and gayly skip out Of reach like
1irtatious debutantes ut smart co.
| tillon. The Gland is the largest of all
antelopes, and owing to his indiscrimk
nate slaughter the officials in British
East Africa have forbidden the shoot.
ing Of him.
Captain James Forsyth describes a
male panther that, getting craze for
human blood, actually killed a hun.
dred natives, countless cattle, etc,
Finally native, an askari, who
family had lost members through t.
beast was detailed to go into the jun
gle and bring back that panther's skin
or else never to appear again. After
days and nights of dangerous exposure
the askari finally located the panther
near pool where animals came to
drink. Lying almost all night In the
bushes, the askari saw the beast como
down to the waters edge and, obtain.
ing good side shot at him, emptied a
muzzle loading shotgun half full OF
lead slugs and pieces Of iron into the
brute. After several minutes of hlde-
scribable contortions, leaping and
twisting the panther lay dead. when
the askar returned with the head Of
the leopard" said Captain Forsyth,
"there were much feasting and dissipa
ton"
In some sections of Africa the pan.
Their is held in such terror that he ia
made part Of the crude machinery soi
native justice. A native who has com,
mitted some offense, stealing, assault,
etc., is condemned to go into the jungle
and kill a panther. II the native re.
turns with the head and hide Of q
freshly killed beast he Is Immediately
pardoned.
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.
. velts plan is to do Considerable still
hunting at night as possible means
Of securing specimens of these un.
known beasts and thus becoming Q
: 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 a celebrated explorer.
!, Though the discoverer of the uninua
: okapi Sir Harry could not secure
live specimen. Mr.. Roosevelt is con.
J fident Of obtaining live okapi, as ha
, will cross the heart Of the region whars
, the animal is found In Uganda. /.
! The okapi is the wonderful new
, beast that looks like, a cross between
: giraffe, an antelope and zebra,
though such hybridization does not &C,
tually occur. Scientists have found
the geologic remains of creature like
the okapi in Greece, but supposed II
long extinct. Henry M. Stanley heard
of it among the central African pyg,
mics, but was content to call 1t a