Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 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-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 or soldier of for
tune is ever picturesque figure and the Congo
poachers amply fill this role.
I had marched one hundred and sxty-6ve miles
across the dreary, swelterngly 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 Butaba, the small port on the sandy
shore of the lake.
| pitched camp on 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 Butiaba, but of
them seemed to know his name and I was at
loss to know who he might be. remembered that
there were a number of men whom l knew init
matey poaching in this district, and I wondered
whether perchance 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;" "Karomoja
Bell, the mightiest of elephant-hunters; the Hon
orable Rupert Craven, brother of Earl Craven;
young Quentin Grogan, brother of Captain Ewart
S. Grogan of Capeto-Cairo fame; Pickering,
noted elephanthunter; Bennett, an ex-engineerS of
the Nile launches; w. Buckley, partner of Pick
ering's; or Pearson, to say nothing of many 9th
ers whom l had met from time to time. mem
ton them by their correct Names for they made
no secret of their calling and l feel sure that
not committing any indiscreton by 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.
Nv ip+orootod oon ioo+1,rac RI who tho man
at Butiaba might be were soon set at rest. 1t is
the custom for all white men in Africa to call on
any other white man who may camp in their vi
cinity. and 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
more thrilling and lucrative work of shooting ee-
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 a launch engi-
neer so that it was a 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
fotilla when inspecting East Africa and Uganda
IN his official capacity as 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 mosquitoes
while entertaining Bennettwith 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 we're badly lacerated,
in fact, in fearful state and all the time we
conversed about generalities was wondering
what had been the cause. Presently the CONVEX
sation turned to the subject Of elephant-shootng.
and asked him how he Fas progressing with his
quest for ivory I had got him interested now
and leaned back fin my easy camp-chair to listen.