The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1909-05-21

rivers and their tributaries, and about |
the tributaries of the ZambesI on
its easterly course, large herds Of
buffalo are still to be found. This
country, however, il only accessible
during the African winter-April to
October-unless the risk Of deadly
fever be taken. There are still buffa-
10 to be found, to, about the Chobe
river, in the far-off swamps and
marshes of the Upper Okavango. In
these regions the tsetse fly is certain
to be found in the buffaloes' haunt,
and the hunter must perforce do all
his work on foot.
toughest and most difficult of all game
animals to bring to bag, so that hand
some creature, Burchelrs zebra
(Equus BurchellD, the zebra of the
plains, is by far the most easily de-
stroyed. A single $50 EXPRESS or Mar.
tini-Henry bullet will at once turn
this fleet and handsome animal of the
troop, an easy victim (if not a--eady
killed outright) to the hunters next
shot. With broken leg the zebra
is instantly helpless; with broken
limb, and shot through the body to
boot, one of the larger African an.
telopes, such as hartebeest or brin-
died gnu, will often run for miles, and
finally escape the hunter altogether.
AS an almost invariable rule Burch-
ellis zebras are hunted on horseback;
they are fleet and enduring, and even
first-class South African hunting
pony must be in very good form, and
upon hard even ground, to carry his
rider within hail of them. Most usu-
ally these animals are to be met with
feeding on open grassy plains, or in
open bush, where large glades and
clearings are to be found. In talon
start, they can usually gallop clean
away from the mounted man. If it
were not for a habit of curiosity, they
would, indeed, be "kittle cattle to
come up with on the great plains.
But their curiosity is often their I'M
doing. have many times galloped
steadily behind troop of these ze-
bras, and then halted for a moment.
The zebras would then wheel quickly
round in line and stand for a minute
to have a good look at the pursuer.
This was the time to put in a steady
shot Sometimes, even when the hun
ter is galloping, they will turn round
and stand for moment, apparently
out of sheer curiosity.
DISCRIMINATING the African Zebra.
In semi-bushy country, where their
view is more circumscribed, these ze-
bras are without much difficulty shot.
In Mashonaland large numbers Of
those zebras have been shot within
| the last few years by the pioneers
and settlers. I have found that by
making long '.our and getting be-
| tween them and the bush to which
they run for shelter, these animals
when feeding in the open can be
driven about and shot pretty much at
will. They seem for the time to be-
come clustered, lose their heads, try
to make short cuts past tho mounted
men, and so fall victims. In former
days these magnificent beasts ran In
immense numbers in all the open
country from the Orange river to the
Zambesi. They are still to be found
in large troops in the Ngamiland coun
try, in remoter parts of Mashonaland
and in still l.rger numbers east ant
northeast of Mashonaland, TOWARD
the coast. Beyond the Zambesi they
are widely distributed in Africa, be
coming exceedingly plentiful AGAR
upon the great plains between the
east coast and Uganda. South Of the
Orange river they seem seldom, 1
ever. to have ranged. Burchells re
bra is not to be COMPOUNDED will
the more asinine black and white
mountain zebra &c Zebra), which il
perfectly striped all over. The B rch
ellis zebra is best .nown to the Brit
ish public of all this handsome group
good examples being Away" on viev
in the Geological society'S gardens
AS a general rule this zebra is no
perfectly banded down the legs-as Il
it's mountain cousin-but variety
sometimes called by scientist" Chap
mans ZEBRA" is to be found in tn
interior, with the white ] gs prett.
generally banded as far down as tn
fetlocks. The average European
sportsman, having shot a few of thes
beautiful creatures as specimens, viii
usually stay his hand and spare them
unless meat for his followers is absc
lutely needed. The Boer and nativ
hunter, on the contrary, shoot then
whenever they get the chance, merel
for the price of the skin-a matter O
a few shillings up country. And S
the species becomes exterminated.
is thousand pities! OF all sight
in the fair veldt-and there are man
7 to charm the eye-I know of few nc
bier than good troop of Burchell'
zebras, creatures which seem to hav
been created for on other purpos
, than to adorn the wilderness
, Whether feeding quietly among thu
heritage; or resting in the heat o
midday; or fleeing across the plain
their striped coats, as clean and shin
ing as a well-groomed race horse
i. cleaning in the sunlight; brisk, beau
tifully proportional, and full of lift
and spirits; these zebras represen
tho highest perfection of feral life.
True children of the sun-drenchet
plains, long may they yet flourish tt
decorate the African veldt!
BY permission of Longmans, Green 4
Co., New York.
Copyright, 1909, by Benz. B. Hampton.