The Virginia enterprise., 1909-07-02

My magazine was empty. I threw my
rifle down and ran, the elephant gain
ing on me at each step: I saw Nick
ahead of me with leveled. rifle. !;
To keep running meant that I
would soon be overtaken. Instructive
ly 1 threw myself on the ground and
Nick fred. With a thud that made
the earth tremble the elephant
dropped. The huge trunk twisted like
Z wounded snake for a moment. and
t7.en the gigantic body relaxed in
death. It all took about two minutes
to happen and was pretty close
shave, but it was worth the trouble,
for the tusks we got were big, weigh
ing close to a hundred pounds.
The Killing Of Nick, Hunter Boy.
A few months after this occurr ence,
on the same trip, lost Nick, my
Senegal boy" under terrible ci7cum-
stances. This brave man who had
hunted everything in Africa from the
Cape to Cairo, and from Zanzibur to
Banana, boasted many time that he
would never be killed by anything but
old age. But he was too sure. Long
association with danger had made
him careless. and this cost him his
life. -"
We were treking south toward Lake
Tanganyika along a native path run.
ming parallel with the Rusizi river. It
was frightfully hot, so hot thar the
gun barrels burned our hands. The
porters staggered under their heavy
loads in long string, mumbling
songs, each in his native tongue. to
keep up his tagged spirits, and the
sun rays danced in misty vibrations
from the parched earth. Suddenly the
jungle ceased and we broke into the
open weld. Four hundred yards away,
coming in the opposite direction, was
a herd of at least twenty elephants.
They had evidently made a long jour-
ney and were suffering from t. in
tense heat. Some of them were occu-
pied in thrusting their trunks into
their mouths and drawing water from
their stomachs. With this water they
were sprinkling their sunburned
backs. This is habit that elephants
always practice when they are over.
heated and cannot find the shade of q
friendly forest.
To me the sight of the approaching
herd was welcome. I saw ivory which
meant thousands of dollars to us ii
we could get in a few good Shots
ordered my caravan back into the un-
dergrowth. and, bringing up the shik.
arees, prepared for the slaughter. 1
loaded my nine millimeter Mauser
with solid bullets for long shots. AT
300 yards I opened fire and the leader
fine bull, dropped in his tracks. The
crack of my rifle threw the herd into
CONSERVATION. They were not sure
where the noise came from, and they
as yet had not caught sight of U.S.
After a little indecision they kept on
the old route and marched toward U.S.
A hundred yards nearer and gave
the nearest, another bull, my second
shot. 1t went wild. He shrieked and
threw his trembling head back and
forth frantic with pain. I had evi
IDENTIFY given him a bad face wound.
fired again and must have missed. He
saw me, and, trumpeting loudly
charged down on us, followed by the
whole herd. I emptied my magazine
into them with no effect. Nearer they
came, their ivory cleaning in the sun
and the dust curling up in clouds be-
hind them. The ground vibrated like
a beaten drum top under their thun
| derous charge.
I saw tusk-crested wave of nam
moths sweeping down to destroy us
1t was no time for inaction. The gun
bearer handed me the 600 caliber ex
press. At hundred yards / gave the
leader one barrel after the other. He
fell, and those behind tumbled over
him in heap. For a moment the
! mad charge was broken. I thought
We were out Of danger, but another
leader forged ahead and bore down
on us. Rum" shrieked, and every
| man made for safety, excepting Nick
the coolest in the face of danger and
always the last to run. I threw my
self behind tree, just escaping be
ing crushed to death. A screech rose
above the thunder of the hoofs and
the next instant saw Nick hoisted
into the air with a blood-stained tush
through his body. The infuriated
mass swept past, leaving red
marked trail. Immediately set out
on the spoor Of the herd in hope ot
getting the body of the shikaree. AL
though searched till sundown was
unsuccessful.
That night l heard the lions roar
ing down toward the river. The next
morning, with a few natives, I con
tinued the search, in the direction
that the lions roars came from dur
ing the night. We soon sighted q
flock of vultures, sure sign Of dead
game, and, coming up with them, We
found the. chewed carcass Of an ele
phant and the scattered bones Of q
human being, among which I found
Nick's hunting knife and belt. The
wounded elephant had carried him on
his :tusk till 1t fell exhausted through
loss of blood, and died. 1t was one Of
the best ivory hauls I ever made al
one shooting and 1t was the saddest
| Nick was great shikaree. He pos
sessed every attribute Of manhood
He died like many a hunter has died
Nick was the twentieth native that
have lost on my various expeditions