The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1912-07-19

NSanza and on the banks OF the Nile aid not ies-
sen my regard for them as men Perhaps their
SAILING as elephant-poachers may not have been
SECULAR " tho eyes Of the law but then there was
Nueh On eltment Of danger connected with their
snrk THAT The oifenses Of which they we're guilty
Failed before oil other considerations. and ono ID
FORCED 70 eoncede 70 them the possession OF the
aeiae Of pluck The freebooter or soldier OF for.
funf y ever picturesque figure and the Congo
poachers amply oil this role
had marched one hundred and sixty.hye miles
acresa tbs dreary, sweteringly hot Uganda eoun.
try and Il was with feelings OF extreme relief
that ! saw the shmmering expanse OF the waters
Of the Ahcft Nyanga from the rugged hllltops
overlooking Hutiaba. the small port on tho sandy
shore Of tie lake
pitched camp on the site Of tho recent Roose.
Welt epeampmsnt within one hundred feet of the
lake
had heard from natives that one os<ihe conro
poaehera was In camp at nutiaba but none 81
them seemed 10 know bis na4M and I was al n
loss 70 know who be might NJ remembered that
t2%fe &,Fe number OF Ren whom knew init.
xinntels poElehag 70 this district, and wondered
whether lereasRee | wa ii be given an opporul.
nity d senevise ny Acquaintance with one q
them fsthars Nhlght be John Royes nick,
named King Of the Kikuyu;" or "KaromoIa"
nell. the mtghtlest OF elsphanthuntcrs the Hon.
cradle Rupert Craven brother Of Fart Craveu
Young Quentin Grogan, brother OF Captain Ewart
= arogan Of cape,toCaIro fame; Pickering
noted elephauthunter; Bennett. an ex.engIneer OF
the Milo launches w, Buckley partner OF pick
erings OF Pearson TO say nothing of many 9th.
ers whom bad met from time to time. | men.
tian them by their correct names FOR they made
no secret Of their calling and feel sure that
am not committing any indlscreton by so doing
Each one Of these men has a history. ana 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,
ply interested eopJeotures as to who the man
REat.s, sFhF a
custom for all white men in Africa to call on
other white man who may camp In their vi
Ply, and so i was not long before the "poacher'
ne 10 my camp 10 see me, II proved to be
hnett, the ex-engineer OF the Uganda Nile fleet
b had abandoned his professional calling for the
Ire thrilling and lucrative work OF shooting ele-
Fints for their ivory, For many years he had
en IN charge OF the small steam launch plying
tween Butiaba and Minute on the Nile and dur
these years he had done much shooting on
~ banks Of the river. His haul Of ivory added
kch year to his small income as launch enrt
per- so that II was bad year indeed when he
Il ~ 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
hotilia when inspecting East Africa and Uganda
In his official capacity under secretary of state
for the colonies
This is the story of man as told to me ON
my first night in camp at Butiaba sitting in my
tent beating off the attack OF greedy mosouitoes
while entertaining Bennett with the aid of INV lin.
tied supply Of whisky. The story was so startling
that often had to pinch myself during It's recital
to satisfy myself that was not dreaming of the
Gays OF Emin Pasha and Stanley as the result Of
the association of my surroundings
noticed that his hands were badly Iacerated
IN fact, in fearful state and all the time We
conyersed about generalities I was wonderins
what had been the cause. Presently the CONVEX
sation turned to the subject of elephant,shooting
and asked him how he was progressing with hi,
guest for ivory. I had got him interested nov
Anc leaned back in my easy campchair to listen