The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1914-09-25
A BOYS BIG
GAME
BY M. QUAD
By NJ. QUAD
Copyright. 1914. by Associated Lit
erary Press.

~ lux AoNoS
Kloopenfeldt for a full week. The
burgher had but one child, and he was
a boy fourteen years old and named
Carl.
thought myself something of a hunt
er for big game. but l soon discovered
that the boy. young as he was. knew
a thing or two in that line.
l am going to tell you what he did
on two occasions. The farmer had 100
head of cattle. which were turned u
during the day on the rich grass and
at night were herded in a strong pen.
These cattle were exposed to n ne-
my by day and another by night. If a
wandering rhinoceros came near the
herd by day he would select an animal
and charge him. Once in awhile n
would be overtaken and killed. but in
most circumstances, being more agile
than the rhinoceros, the cattle made
good their escape. The boy, Carl, had
watched these performances for some
time. and on the second day of my ar
rival he was to put a plan into execu-
ton. There was a big white OK among
the cattle who had been chased several
times, and he always ran for the pen
when charged. He did not run in a
straight line. but z%igzagged. while the
~rhinoceros in pursuit never deviated
from a straight course. At a particu-
lar spot the boy dug a pit. 1t was long
and wide and deep. and it took him a
vvynnly tn 0nrnnlnfo - I1o1f n pnS1n <1
the east of this pit was a thicket from
which the rhinoceros had always
charged. Just after noon on the sec
ond day the boy caught the white OK,
and, tying a rope aroung his horns for
bride, he mounted him and rode away
to the thicket. He was going to
draw for a r%hinoceros.
IF a rhinoceros charges the boy he
may he overtaken and killed." said
to the parents.
81 have no fear for Carl" replied the
father.
For half an hour the lad rode the OK
along the edge of the thicket. and then
a rhinoceros suddenly broke cover with
a fierce snort. He was after the OK
like a wild locomotive. and for the first
two minutes my heart was in my
mouth. Then the OK got his speed up
and held his own. while the boy kept
laughing and shouting. BY means of
the ropes young Carl held his "steed"
straight for the pit. but just before
reaching it he swerved to the left and
passed it in safety. Not SO with the
''rhino." however. The big beast ran
Instead of following the swerve Of the
OK he kept straight on. and in five Sec
Onds he had landed ut the bottom of
the pit.
The old gun was brought out. and
the bullets were fired into the rhinoce-
ros until he was dead. and he was then
covered in. l tried to pat the boy on
the back and magnify his deed. but l
couldn't make him believe that he was
q hero.
down there was a great bowling on all
sides from hyenas and jackals, and an
hour or two later the lions would begin
to roar. On the second night of my
stay l wounded n by firing from a.
kitchen window. and on the third |
killed one that was prowling within
thirty feet of the back door. The Boer
was glad enough to have them disp0s-
ed of. but yet he had an eye to bust
ness. A dead lion was worth only his
skin. while q live IL could be sold for
$3.50 cash to the men supplying zoo!og-
ical gardens and menageries. was
asked not to do any more shooting. and
on the afternoon of the fourth day
the boy set about preparing a trap.
The cattle pen was twelve feet high.
constructed Of stones. logs and thorn
bushes. At nj spot it was pulled
down until about five feet high. On
the inside was constructed a stout pen
of stakes. having u length Of ten feet
and a. breadth of five or six. The idea
was that If a lion leaped the wall he
would land in this pen. 1t was open
at the top, however. and I pointed out
to the boy that the lion would be no
sooner in than out again.
But you shall see how I will keep
him in" he replied. and it was true
that l soon did see and was amazed
over it.
He constructed a sort of net Of stakes
and old telegraph wire. and this net
was to be drawn over the top of the
pen after the lion was Gagged. To draw
it one must be inside the cattle pen.
Just at nightfall the boy took up
his position in the pen among the cat
tie. An hour or so later we heard five
different lions roaring at once. By and
by I caught sight Of two skulking
around. and but for the circumstances
Of the Boer I should have fired upon
them. He wouldn't hear Of 1t. and we
had a big male lion full under d eye
when the animal approached the open
ing and leaped the wall. The frighten-
ed cattle beloved and rushed about in
their terror. and it was fully ten min
utes before we heard. from Carl. Then
he came out Of the pen by the big gate
and calmly Informed us that the lion
had been safely trapped. I tried again
before l left to make the boy under
stand that he had exhibited the great
oo< hro vovv In, doin0 whaf no di6 huk