Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1912-07-24


district. was threatened with instant death and
torture II caught again by them.
Then began six days Journey through the
blazing African sun with all my clothes in rags
helmet and no hat no water and no food
cept what could find my the way, which was
very little, seeing that l had no rife All my
camp equipment, stores and rifles had been taken
away from me and I had lost all my ivory, the
result of many months arduous work in the
Congo.
AT last, after days of infinite torture,
reached the camp of a Belgian official near Ma
hagi, who clothed and fed me- promising me that
the natives would be punished. This indeed
kind of him, for 1t must be remembered that
was a poacher in the Belgian territory and liable
to ten years Imprisonment If captured by the
Belgans in the act of poaching ivory have
came to Butiaba to try to get together another
outfit and return to the Mahag district to re-
place my losses l am determined to make up my
lost time and feel confident that can do So"
l wish that could tell the tale with the un.
affected simplicity and Observation-Disclosures
manner in which Bennett told it to me.
The next day left by launch for Koba the first
government post on the Nile Here l found
small village of white elephantpoachers, but all
of them were away after ivory in the Congo at
the time of my visit They live on the British side
of the Nile and make periodical excursions into
the Congo after ivory. The British government
allows Congo ivory to pass through its territory
payment Of twenty-five per cent custom duty,
and in a way this encourages the poachers, for
they are allowed to shoot only two, or at most
three, elephants each year in East Africa or
Uganda, on payment of a $3.50 license In the
Congo no license is necessary and they may shoot
many tuskers as they can without license, il
they can evade being captured by the Belgians
or the natives.
Each man takes untold risks when he follows
this calling Not only does he chance ten years
Imprisonment in a chain-gang in the interior of
the Congo. if caught by the Belgians but he also
takes his life in HIS hands every time he shoots
an elephant, for he crawls into herd through
the fifteen or twentyfoot grass selects the big
gest bull and then shoots II at a range of from
ten to fifteen yards. No who has not tried
elephant shooting realize the terrifying aspect
of a herd of elephants when you are close to
them. They move so silently and yet each one is
capable of crushing the life out of any man who
dares disturb their peace
At Koba l found the houses, made Of grass and
mud, of John Boyes, the Honorable Rupert Craven.
and Of Pickering and Buckley. "Kara1oma" Bell
had given up poaching for the time being as he
had made mora than sufficient out OF It to satisfy
all his desires Bell is young Engshman, who
has big estate in England and an annual rent
roll of some $4,000. He came out to Central AZ.
RIGA seeking adventure in 1902, when only eight
cen years of age, and at turned his attention
to eephanthunting
am told that in the last eight years Bell has
spent 100000 In seeking ivory and has made
100000, SO that he has cleared one hundred per
cent
John Boyes alias King of the Kikuyu," was,
unfortunately poaching in the Congo l should
have liked to renew my acquaintance with him,
for he is a remarkable character. Boyes was at
time ablebodied seaman on a merchant
vessel and was wrecked, or deserted know not
which, at Zanzibar, many years previous to my
first meeting with him in 1904 He had spent all
his time collaborating and ivory-huntng in the
wilds, and for many years made the territory of
the Akikuyu tribe his headquarters. He had be.
come blood-brother to their king, Rlnanjui, and
then had made himself virtually their king