Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1912-07-12

Nyanza and on the banks of the Nile did not les
sen my regard for them as men. Perhaps their
calling 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 a picturesque figure and the Congo
poachers amply fill this role
l had marched hundred and sixty-ive miles
across the dreary, swelteringly hot Uganda coun
try and it 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
pitched camp en- the site of the recent Roose-
welt encampment within one hundred feet of the
lake.
had heard from natives that of the Congo
poachers was in camp at Butiaba, but none Of
them seemed to know his and l was at
loss to know who he might be. remembered that
there were number of men whom | knew inti-
mately poaching in this district, and wondered
whether perchance | to be given an opportu-
nifty of renewing my acquaintance with one OF
them. Perhaps 1t might be John Boyes, nick
named king of the Kikuyu;" or "Karomo1a
Bell the mightiest of elephanthunters; the Hon.
orable Rupert Craven, brother OF Earl Craven;
young Quentin Grogan, brother of Captain Ewart
S. Grogan of Cape-toCairo fame; Pickering
noted elephant-hunter; Bennett, an ex-engineer OF
the Nile launches; w. Buckley, partner OF Pick
erings; or Pearson. to say nothing of many 9th
ers whom | had met from time to time. l men,
tion them by their correct names, for they made
no secret of their calling and feel sure that
am not committing any indiscretion by so doing.
Each one of these men has history, and each
and every 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 man
at Butiaba might be soon 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 1t was 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
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 Butaba and Nimule 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 a launch eng
neer so that 1t 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
hotila when inspecting East Africa and Uganda
in his official capacity under secretary OF state
for the colonies.
This is the story Of a man, told to me or
my first night in camp at Butiaba, sitting in my
tent beating off the attack OF greedy mosquitoes
while entertaining Bennettwith the aid of my lin
tied supply of whisky. The story was SO startling
that often had to pinch myself during It's recita
to satisfy myself that was not dreaming of tht
days of Emin Pasha and Stanley as the result o
the association of my surroundings.
noticed that his hands were badly lacerated
in fact in a fearful state, and all the time W.
conversed about generalities was wondering
what had been the cause Presently the conver
sation turned to the subject OF elephant-shootng
and asked him how he was progressing with hi
quest for ivory. | had got him interested nov
and Leaned back in my easy campchair to listen