Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-04-14

| 6VVWOvOJe W10Su OrSaoeos
In the dry bush plains, the mysteri-
GUS 3uugles and thick forests Of Brit
ash East Africa, where Theodore
Roosevelt ana the Smithsonian African
expedition win soon begin the search
for specimens for the National muse
nm at Washington, there is variety
Of big game and smaller mammals
that makes this the most wonderful
shooting ground in the world.
Hours before the American party
reach the Ju-Ja ranch, a score Of miles
north Of Nairobi, where the expedition
win make fits headquarters. game will
be sighted as the train makes it's tor
tuous way along the Uganda railroad
There is no shooting allowed within
mile Of the railroad. and the sight Of
herds Of graceful mpala antelope or
the massive Gland grazing along the
line within only few miles Of the
coast serves to whet the appetite for
the safari, or hunt, to come in the
interior. There is game all along the
line Of the Uganda railway. but hunt
ers generally go to Nairobi, some 800
miles inland. Passing Simba, where
lions may be found, the railroad enters
the Makindu district, a rare shooting
country
1t is to the north OF Ju-Ja ranch,
though, that all kinds Of big game
abound. A flock Of vultures soaring in
the air tells Of lion roaming on the
dusty plain. These birds wait to pick
the bones Of the lions kill. The coun-
try is alive with lions, but few fear
them, as they give man wide berth
at all times. Only when wounded and
escape is disputed will the king Of
beasts show fight All through the
night the cry Of the lion may be heard
in this territory, and 1t is no uncom-
mon thing for party Of these beasts
to sit outside Of house all night and
roar.
In point Of danger the natives Of this
territory regard the buffalo herds as
the most dangerous to encounter, and
where travelling party Of porters will
scarce notice the roars Of a lion the
sounds OLA bunalo herd will send
them into a panic. This much dreaded
beast is TRICKY and brave, and a hunts
man needs all his skin to make his
kill. Wounded, the buffalo resorts to
a ruse Of retreating into the brush,
tempting the huntsman to follow him.
Wheeling suddenly about. the wound
ed animal charges the oncoming hunt
er, who, unless he sends a bullet into
the brain Of the beast, is most likely
to be gored and tampled to death
under the animals hoofs. IN hunting
the buffalo it is customary for the
hunter to post his shikaris in the tree
tops to inform him Of the trail Of the
beast.
The hunting of elephants is much
restricted In the territory which the
Roosevelt party will cover, and the
killing Of these mammoths is regarded
as little less than slaughter. Modern
rifles make the killing of elephants
easy to accomplish and without much
danger to the hunter. Hunting for hip
popotamuses is also limited, as the ami
mails are hard to locate and only found
In remote places along the rivers and
lakes. The hippo is timid and not con-
sidered dangerous unless his escape to
the water tscut of or he is wounded.
The hunt for the rhinoceros in this
region is no mean venture for not In
frequently the hunter is hunted, and
the angered beast breaks up whole
safari (hunting) party with one Of his
terrible charges. Caught in the whirl-
wind rush. native hunters sometimes
stand still, hoping the animal will mis-
take them for a tree and pass on,
which the beast not infrequently does.
The charging animal can only be halt
ed with a wen directed bullet through
the eye or heart.
It Is expected that the American
party will make every effort to bag
the much discussed white rhinoceros,
which has been killed off from his
original range in British East Africa.
Besides rhinos. buffaloes and other
large animals. the hunting game in
cludes CRATES, leopards, zebras and
antelopes.
In this rare hunting ground the
American party will find three species
Of the hartbeest, the oryx, the sable
antelope. the roam antelope, the oribi
the lesser reed buck, the water buck,
the steinbock, the Gland, the greater
and lesser kudu, the gnu and the bush
buck. All these various species Of an.
telopes have kseuly developed escaping
faculties. Wart hogs, jackals, hyenas
together with host Of cranes, bus
tards and other feathered varieties, all
help swell the population Of the animal
kingdom in this region.
No hunters can ever be said to have
enjoyed all the experiences Of the
AFRICAN jungle without an adventure
with wild dogs, which roam in packs
and are the dread Of the natives. The
CRY Of these animals is not unlike thai
of leopards or smaller game, and once
heard the natives fly to the tops Of
trees. These mongrel dogs have low
bodies, covered with thick, bushy hair
"A hunter wounding wild dog must
according to the ethics Of the chase
pursue and kill the wounded canine.
The fish Of the inland lakes III which
= found the hippo are unpalatable
and the Roosevelt party will subsis
on hesh and fowl. There is an abun
dance Of Wild ducks on Naivasha lake