The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-09-15
ADVENTURES OF AN ELEPHANT P0ACHER Seven Killed in One Days
 Hunt
 FIGHT WITH NATIVES Belgians Protect Ivory Industry in Dark Africa-Hunter's Thrill
 ing Escape From
 Tent Prison

From the St. Louis Globe Democrat.
 A few weeks ago there was published in this department the story, reprinted from London paper. of the pursuit and capture of an elephant poacher by Eng fish guards This man, who was wound- ed and died shortly after hts capture turns out to have been an American, James Ward Rogers. The following &C., count of his experience, from the New :, York Sun, was told by him to friend s.not long before his death:
 Tt is impossible. safe for the highly favored few. to obtaine license to shoot Elephants in the Congo Free State, and with my fellow-poachers afraid to ven ture into this region I may say it was almost virgin territory in the sense of ivory shooting.
 Imediately struck elephant. Two came right into my camp and were shot with ridiculous ease. They approached from the windward. side, but even then I am at a loss to know how they ap- preached near without taking alarm fUsually they very hard to get near to- and shun camps as man does pesti- ence
 My luck when started out to look for them continued of the best. We found s.herd of about twenty almost at once and gave hot chase keeping the trail of athe brutes. ''Of this herd l shot seven. The first and second days after this netted me four apiece One old fellow gave me consid- erable trouble and momentary shock. l had worked up to within forty yards of him when he divined something wrong. He stood there, Tapping his huge ears. stretching out his trunk as a child would it's hand in game of blind mans buff, reaching and groping, trying 10 find out where that dangerous Mzungu (white smelD came from
 He could not me-elephants are notoriously short-sghted. If they pos sessed even the very ordinary sense of sight that man is favored with there would be but precious few shot. Before he had decided where l was 1 had taken aim and fired. With scream of pain like the blast of cornet he rushed in my direction. l fired again, but he did not stop
 There was a tree within few yards Of me- behind which l lodged in the few seconds at my disposal, and as the big brute thundered by I aimed behind his shoulder and again pulled -he trigger. There was no report, and I remembered 1 had used three shots on two females
 
 but five.
 'Luckily the elephant did not notice me behind the tree, and my head boy had the courage to run up with d spare gun before was again in danger oe the beasts rush. The next shot was the final one. and had two beautiful tusiss, which on being weighed were found to be about l25 pounds each. worth nearly s3Jt apiece. But ] had run a mighty risk and almost lost. for had my boy not brought rp that spare gun 1 would never have got away from the infuriated old bull.
 Recent rains had thoroughly wet the ground, and the nearby herd Lad tam lled all over the spot. making huge loot prints IS inches to two feet l circun- ference and from six inches to a foot deep. No unarmed man could get away from an elephant under such circumstances, for though they are huge umbeing crea- lures, they have the speed of the swiftest horse, and the man caught in these tracks with no opportunity to dodge or get to cover, would stand no chance of escaping.
 My luck continued In nine days I had shot thirty elephants and had nearly ton and half of ivory, worth roughly. $S.O00 This was a good bag and it was best to get away with il at once. It was very dangerous 10 stay long in the coun- tfy-a quick dash in, weeks shoot and dash out. to escape the numerous bands of Belgain game wardens and askaries tsoders) always on the move. was my game. Then. too, I had agreed to meet my partner at Wadelai. on the Nile, on the last daysof the month and i, was now the 2Oth.
 "On the morning following the start back we fell in with several female ele- plants and shot three Only one of these had tusks worth mentioning The female bears only small tusks. but usually beau tffully round and straight, and are the VniuD hla Eip1 fn, l,o ing in great demand for the manufacture of billiard balls ''Nothng further happened until we reached the Nile, and there misfortune iemoraelessN overlook us. On asriving al the west bank 1 scanned the English shore with my glasses in the endeavorvto pick up my partners camp It was hot, tc be found there. but on turning my gaze to my own side of the river I disceril4tl his tent about a mile up the bank, and press ing forward alone, walked into the camp, where a Belgian askali greeted me.
 My heart sank as I realized low fool fshly I had neglected to take even tho slightest precaution in approaching. How ever I thought to bluff it out in my most nochalant manner asked if might see the commandant, thinking ;o make a dash for cover and my caravan when the askaii should turn his back. The gentry Informed me he was not present. bu- would return in the hour. Would 1 wait fer the 'bwana?
 Under the circumstances 1 decidedly would not, but would call again soon. I walked a short distance away from the camp and met my head boy coming up. l rapidly told him to run back, tell the others to throw the ivory into the river and scatter in as many directions as they . could.
 ''1rhe Belgian askarIes, about 30 in num- ber, had by this time grasped the stua- ton, and followed me. I suddenly turned around and levelled my gun at the near est. They all did the same to me broke open my gun and showed them 1t was loaded full. They did the same with theirs.
 Then five or six of them dropped their guns and rushed me. If I had shot at them l would have been an extremely dead man the instant, for the remain ing p had me covered We had merry fight, but six to is too great odds avsn for warlke American. and soon was bound.
 Tn half an hour the commandant, a little man with a greasy beard and still