The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-11-09
BIC GAME STILL
IN EAST AFRICA
SOmaliland Mecca for Hunt
ers-Only a Million
aires Sport

London.-The big game hunter is Just
now thinking of preparing his kit and
general equipment for the season on East
African plains or in Central African for
ests. The recent news from Somaliand
has, therefore, had for him a special in
terest, for 1t seems to be a question OF
the moment as to how far that country,
hitherto one of the most attractive hunt
ing grounds remaining to the sportsman
who seeks big game. Will be open to
travel in the coming months.
There are several reasons why Somal-
iand, using the name in its widest appli-
cation. and without special reference to
the confined area on the coast line over
which the British protectorate is exer-
cised, should possess peculiar attractions
for the mighty hunter. Exploration and
consequent commercial exploitation of the
country Is of more recent date than in
most other parts OF Africa. and vast
tracts remain in their almost virgin
state, with game of various sorts present
in profusion. The spice of danger, too,
is always existent.
The advance of exploration, the devel-
opment of the rifle and the greater faciIi-
ties for transit have combined in recent
years to increase the numbers of those
who follow this fascinating form of sport;
hasten the time when it will scarcely be
possible to find any big game left to hunt.
1t Is indeed, common knowledge among
the initiate that the sport is now more
difficult and more costly than ever ii has
been. Vast regions, however, are still to
be found of which sportsmen have as
yet barely touched the fringe, says the
New York Sun.
The more adventurous and the more
wealthy, will, of course. seek the remoter
haunts. remoter, that is, in the sense
of greater inaccessiblity: and thus 1t is
that Somaliland and British East Africa
have long been regarded as the most de-
sirable objectives for big game expedi-
tons fitted out In this country. Here more
than elsewhere the king of beasts is to
be found In his widest state; antelopes
Of several varieties, some of the larger
| inclined to be very savage, abound; ele-
plants are scarce, but there are rhinoce-
i rii. leopards, cheetahs, hyenas and other
smaller varieties of carnivora, all afford
| ing excellent sport, with fully Is much
of the element of danger as the most
ardent sportsman can. desire.
Somalfand has been described as "a
place of sand and scrub and stones" 1t
| Is, in fact, a vast plateau with an aver
age elevation of 5000 feet, the portion
comprised within the British protectorate
being almost mountainous in COMPARE
terror. The greater part of the country
is covered either with tall, coarse grasses
OF more commonly with thick thorn bush
or jungle, among which rise occasional
isolated trees.
The conditions of lion shooting in Africa
vary with the locality. Thus on the open
plains of Somalland lions may be staikcd
on foot. ridden down on horseback or
driven into the dense bush. where the
usual procedure afterward is to sit up
at night over bait or "kill'' inside a
zareba of thorn bushes. As aiming In
these circumstances is a matter of diff
Guilty. a flashlight is sometimes employed
by the up-to-date hunter. When taking
shelter in detached patches of scrub the
quarry may be driven by pack of dogs
or as a last resource the bush may be
set on fire, the sportsman having pre-
viously concealed himself down wind.
When emboidened by hunger, and gen
orally at night, lions in this region will
fearessly attack human beings. One
rarely hears OF such an incident as that
narrated recently by Lady Bruce. VINO
accompanied her husband, Surgeon GEN.
eral Sir David Bruce, on his sleeping
sickness commission to Nyasland Lady