The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1912-07-13

Nyanza and on the banks of the Nile did not leA
sen my regard for them men. Perhaps their
calling as elephant poachers 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 offenses 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 soldier Of for
tune Is ever picturesque figure and the Congo
poachers amply fill this role.
I had marched one hundred and sixty-fve miles
across the dreary, sweteringly hot Uganda
try and 1t was with feelings of extreme relief
that saw the shimmering expanse of the waters
of the Albert Nyanza from the rugged hill-tops
overlooking Butiaba. the small port the sandy
shore of the lake.
l pitched camp the site of the recent Roose-
welt encampment within hundred feet OF the
lake
l had heard from natives that of the Congo
poachers was in camp at Butaba, but none OF
them seemed to know his name and l was at
loss to know who he might be- l remembered that
there were number of men whom knew inti-
mately poaching In this district, and I wondered
whether perchance l was to be given an opportu-
nifty OF renewing my acquaintance with one OF
them. Perhaps it might be John Boyes nick
named king of the Kikuyu;n "Karomoja"
Bell, the mightiest of elephant-hunters; the Hon
orable Rupert Craven, brother of Earl Craven;
young Quentin GEogan, brother of Captain Ewart
S. Grogan' OF Capeto-Cairo fame; Pickering
noted elephant-hunter; Bennett, an ex-engineer Of
the Nile launches w. Buckley, partner Of Pick
erng's, Pearson to nothing OF many oth-
ers whom had met from time to time. men
ton them by their correct names, for they made
secret Of their calling and feel sure that l
am not committing any ndiscretion by SO doing.
Each one of these men has history, and each
and every one of them can tell thrilling tales Of
his experiences not only In the Congo but also in
every other part of Africa.
Ny interested conjectures to who the man
at Butiaba might be set at rest. 1t is
the custom for all white men in Africa to call on
any other white who may camp in their vi
cinity, and so it was not long before the poacher
came to my camp to me. 1t proved to be
Bennett, the ex-engineer of the Uganda Nile fleet.
who had abandoned his professional calling for the
more 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 as launch engi-
neer SO 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
hoti1la when inspecting East Africa and Uganda
in his official capacity as under secretary OF state
for the colonies
This is the story of a man. told to me
nv 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 startling
that often had to pinch myself during its recital
to satisfy myself that not dreaming of the
days Of Emin Pasha and Stanley the result OF
the association of my surroundings
I noticed that his hands badly lacerated
in fact, in a fearful state, and all the time
conyersed about generaties / wondering
what had been the cause. Presently the conver-
sation turned to the subject OF elephant-shootins
and I asked him now he progressing with his
quest for ivory. had got him interested now
and leaned back in my easy campchair to listen.