The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1912-07-12

Nyanza and on the banks of the Nile did not les
sen my regard for them as men. Perhaps their
calling as elephant-p oachers may not have been
regular In the eyes of the law but then there was
such an element Of danger connected with their
work that the ofenses Of which they were guilty
paled before all other considerations and one Is
forced to concede to them the possession of the
acme of pluck. The freebooter or soldier of for
tune is ever picturesque figure and the Congo
poachers amply fill this role.
had marched hundred and sxty-five miles
across the dreary, swelteringly hot Uganda coun-
try, and 1t was with feelings Of extreme relief
that saw the shimmerng expanse Of the waters
of the Albert Nyanza from the rugged hill-tops
overlooking Butiaba, the small port on the sandy
shore of the lake
l pitched camp the site of the recent Roose-
welt encampment within one hundred feet of the
lake.
| had heard from natives that one of the Congo
poachers was in camp at Butaba but none Of
them seemed to know his name and l was at a
loss to know who he might be- l remembered that
there were number of men whom knew init
mately poachng in this district, and l wondered
whether perchance to be given opportu-
nifty of renewing my acquaintance with one of
them. Perhaps it might be John Boyes nick
named King of the Kikuyu;" or "Karomoia"
Bell the mightiest of e!ephant-hunters; the Hon
orable Rupert Craven, brother of Earl Craven
young Quentin Grogan brother of Captain Ewart
S. Grogan of Cape-to-Caro fame Pickering a
noted elephant-hunter; Bennett an ey-engineer Of
the Nile launches; w. Buckley, partner Of Pick
erings; Pearson, to say nothing of many 9TH
whom l had met from time to time I men
ton them by their correct names, for they made
no secret of their calling and I feel sure that
not committing any indiscretion by doing.
Each one Of these men has a history, and each
and every one of them tell thrilling tales of
his experiences not only in the Congo but also in
every other part of Africa.
My interested conjectures as to who the
at Butaba might be set at rest. 1t is
the custom for all white men in Africa to call
any other white who may camp in their vi
entity. and so it not long before the "poacher
came to my camp to see me. 1t proved to be
Bennett, the ex-engineer Of the Uganda Nile fleet,
who had abandoned his professional calling for the
thrilling and lucrative work Of shooting ele-
plants for their ivory. For many years he had
been in charge of the small steam launch plying
between Butiaba and Minute on the Nile, and dur
ing these years he had done much shooting on
the banks of the river His haul Of ivory added
each year to his small income launch engi-
neer that it bad year indeed when he
did not double. nay treble, his paltry salary. He
had been with Winston Churchill when the lat
ter made his trip up the Nile on the government
fota when inspecting East Africa and Uganda
In his official capacity under secretary Of state
for the colonies.
This is the story of man. told to
my first night in camp at Butiaba sitting in my
tent beating off the attack of greedy mosquitoes
while entertaining Bennett with the aid Of my linn
tied supply of whisky. The story was so startling
that often had to pinch myself during its recital
to satisfy myself that was not dreaming of the
days of Emin Pasha and Stanley as the result of
the association Of my surroundings
noticed that his hands were badly lacerated,
in fact, in fearful state, and all the time we
conversed about generalites l was wondering
what had been the cause Presently the CONVEX
sation turned to the subject of elephantshootine,
and asked him how he was progressing with his
quest for ivory. had got him interested now
and leaned back in my easy campchair to listen