The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1912-07-12

He said he had just returned from the Congo
where he had been shooting elephants for some
months at the back of Mahagi, and that he had
been very successful up to a certain point but
then had lost all his hard-go ivory and all his
effects, owing to attack from the natives. His
subsequent narrative enthralling one and
l wish that it were possible for me to reproduce
it exactly he told it to that still African
night.
: Il got very well with the natives and had
got very fine tusks," he continued "One
day l out after some elephants which had
been located by the natives for me- and came
across four huge tuskers. fred at the biggest
but only succeeded in MORALLY wounding it. He
charged through the tall elephant grass toward
me- with his huge ears outspread and his trunk
raised high above his head. He screamed fear
fully with rage and pain and the sight was in
deed terrifying one. l fired at pointblank range
and again hit him mortally. The elephant contin-
ued his charge and of my native servants
failed to get out of his way. The elephant pushed
the native to side with his tusk in passing
and the boy fell to the ground without sound
The elephant fell down dead short distance
away.
THE three remaining elephants were wild with
rage and rushed hither and thither tearing down
the trees in all directions If they had been
made Of paper, screaming shry all the time 1t
was an anxious moment for me, for I was within
hfty feet Of them at the time of my first shot
At last they made off across country toward the
lake, and l followed them up and succeeded in
bagging all three of them in three shots at close
range
I returned to look for my native servant
thinking that he would be watching over my first
tusker To my establishment I found the boy
lying dead where he had fallen when the elephant
bowled him over. I examined him carefully and
found that no bones had been fractured nor was
there mark on his body. He must have died
from shock at the terrifying experience.
"On about December 10th moved off farther
her6 nd
main camp two days behind me. Within radius
or twenty miles of me there four other white
poachers, namely, Pearson, Dickinson Boyes and
knowles. The natives appeared perfectly friendly
to me. On my first night in camp they visited
me, dancing and singing round my campfire I
suspected no treachery from them on the con-
trary they appeared willing to keep me informed
of the movements of the elephants and of the
Belgian military patrol, which operating in
the district, endeavorng to capture us poachers.
Next day the same thing happened and |
asked to attend to the leg of of the tribesmen
who had been injured badly in native brawl.
L Dathed the wound and was winding bandage
round the wounded leg when I suddenly felt my
wrists seized. A rope quickly cast round my
heck, other ropes were fastened round my legs
and arms, and was jerked roughly off the camp
stool on which 1 was sitting. Then the natives
seized my guns, and all my camp equipment
deliberately destroyed before my eyes. A native
seized my helmet and insolently paraded before
me with 1t on his own head. | then beaten
savagely across the back of the hands and the
body with sticks. My hands burst open. hurting
fearfully, and the sun beat down uDoD nv head
with terrific force
1 was made to march, with my captors jeering
at me and subjecting me to awful indignities, for
tour Whole days through the brong sun until
their powerful chiefs village was reached Here
the chief came forward and shook me hy my
wounded and manacled hands bidding his follow
ers release me- He was a ine-looking old savage,
with very intelligent face, standing over six
feet high.