Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1913-09-23
HAuNTS OF BIG GAME
Africa 10 Still the Paradise of the Hur
ters.

| HAuNTS OF BIG GAME
Africa 10 Still the Paradise of the Hun
| ters.
| The big game hunter, says a Lon
don letter, Is Just now thinking Of
preparing his kit and general equip
ment for the season on East African
plains or in Central African forests.
The recent news from Somaliland
has therefore had for him a special
interest, for 1t seems to be a question
or the moment as to how far that
country, hitherto one Of the most at
tractive hunting grounds remaining
to the sportsman who seeks big game,
will be open to travel in the coming
months.
There are several reasons why So
maitland, using the name in its widest
application and without special refer
ence to the confined area on the coast
line over which the British protector
ate is exercised, should possess pecu-
liar attractions for the mighty hunter.
Exploration and the consequent COM
mercial exploration 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 de-
velopment of the rife and the greater
facilities for transit have combined in
recent years to increase the numbers
Of those who follow this fascinating
form Of sport; but concurrently they
have conspired to hasten the time
when it will scarcely be possible to
find any big game left to hunt. It is,
indeed, common knowledge among
the initiate that the sport Is now more
difficult and more costly than ever 1t
has been. Vast regions, however, are
still to be found Of which sportsmen
have as yet barely touched the
fringe.
The more adventurous, and the
more wealthy, will, Of course, seek
the remoter haunts, remoter, that is,
in the sense of greater inaccessibility
and thus 1t is that Somaliland and
British East Africa have long been re-
garded as the most desirable object
tives for big game expeditions fitted
out in this country. Here more than
elsewhere the king Of beasts is to be
found In this widest state; antelopes
Of several varieties, some Of the
larger inclined to be very savage,
abound; elephants are scarce, but
there are rhinocerosis, leopards, chee-
tabs, hyenas and other smaller var
ieties Of carnivora, all according ex-
cellent sport, with fully as much Of
the element Of danger as the most
ardent sportsman can desire.
Somaliland has been described as
"a place Of sand and scrub and
stones" It is, in fact, vast plateau
with an average elevation Of 5000 feet,
the portion comprised within the
British protectionate being almost
mountainous in comparison with the
extensive plains Of the interior. The
greater part of the country Is covered
either with tall, coarse grass or
more commonly with thick thorn
bush or jungle, among which rise oc-
casional isolated trees.
The conditions Of lion shooting In
Africa vary with the locality. Thus
on the open plains Of Somaliland
lions may be stalked 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 zareba Of
thorn bushes. AS aiming in these CIR
cumstances is q matter Of difficulty,
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 a back
Of dogs or as last resource the bush
may be set on fire, the sportsman hav-
ing previously concealed himself down
wind.
When emboldened by hunger, and
generally at night, lions in this re-
gion will fearlessly attack human be-
ings. One rarely hears Of such an In
cident as that narrated recently by
Lady Bruce, who accompanied her
husband, Burgeon General Sir David
Bruce, on his sleeping sickness COM
mission to Nyasaland. Lady Bruce
stated that she and q companion were
passing unarmed from one station to
another, when they met lion face to
face. The lion gazed at them for
some moments in surprise, then turn
ed round and stalked away.
The black rhinoceros is still plen-
tiful in Equatrial Africa and is fire.
auently met with in Somaliland. While
1t will charge with little or no pro-
vocation, it does so blindly and rarely
turns to renew the attack. This may
be by reason of its limited range OF
vision. Its sense Of smell Is extra
ordinary acute and it is rendered still
more difficult to stalk by the pre-
sence of its almost invariable COM
panions, the "rhinoceros BIRDS" which
warn it Of danger.
Elephants are becoming gradually
exterminated by the ivory hunters,
white and colored, notwithstanding
the attempts made to enforce pro-
tective measures. The oryx, large
variety Of antelope with long, rapier-
like horns, is a particularly ugly Gus
toner to tackle when. as not infre-
quently happens, 1t turns the tables
on it's pursuers and charges; even the
lion has been known to flee before II.
| It is idle for the would-be Dig
game hunter to think Of pursuing his
hobby unless he is adequately pre-
pared for a considerable expenditure.