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FOREST AND STREAM. 



[Dec. 19, 1889. 



BIG GAME IN BOER-LAND. 



LYDENBERG GOLD FIELDS, Spitzkops, Feb. 9.— My 

 Dear . Another new year started; they seem to 



be about one-fourth the length that tbey used to be at 

 school. My beard is getting gray in the center of the 

 chin. * * * 



I had two months hunting in the fly-country; I asked a 

 friend from Pilgrims, who was Tery anxious to have a 

 hunt, to join me, He was very keen, most excitable 

 and a great talker; the best fun was to hear him at night 

 giving his day's experience. We captured buffalo, lion, 

 rhinoceros, giraffe, wild beast, zebra, koodoo, wart hog, 

 impallah, rietbok, crocodile, waterbok, dinker, wolf, 

 wild dog and jackal. Buffalo and lion were not bagged 

 although knocked down. We found all the game driven 

 off the open bush country where we used to find them, 

 and had to hunt in thick thorny bush, with very bad 

 going, sometimes creeping, and by the river reeds 12ft. 

 high, where my friend's lion when wounded took shel- 

 ter; also the buffalo bull; and it does not pay to follow 

 either of these two animals when wounded into thick 

 cover without dogs. 



Two English farmers from the colony came to join us; 

 they were very decent fellows, and this made a party of 

 four, but two are plenty. They took a Scotch cart and 

 six oxen. I took an American horse wagon, 14ft. long, 

 and inspanned eight donkeys and two oxen in the pole. 

 Five of their oxen died in fly and two donkeys of ours: 

 but as I had four spare donkeys I was able to help them. 

 The first night we camped in the fly we did not take the 

 precaution to put two or three fires around the donkeys, 

 and we all but had a mishap. One of the Kafirs heard 

 something walking in the grass, and made the fires all 

 blaze up, but said nothing until next morning, when we 

 looked around the camp, and sure enough we saw the 

 spoors of three lions within a very short distance from 

 the cattle and the donkeys— 8 or 10yds. — and they did 

 not make a whimper, a pretty sure sign that they meant 

 business. We killed twelve giraffe, one a magnificent 

 specimen, a very ancient bull, the finest I ever shot. (It 

 is next to impossible to prevent moths from eating heads 

 and skins. Since beginning this letter I have had the 

 skins out to air a bit, and one of my dogs has eaten three 

 feet and claws completely off a tiger skin. I have shut 

 him up so I may get the claws to send with the skin.) 



One morning with two Kafirs I struck the spoor of a 

 white rhinoceros bull, and from the direction I was 

 afraid some of the party would cut the spoor ahead of 

 me, and so I hurried along, but soon found on the spoor 

 that one of my friends had also taken it: so when I came 

 up with him we agreed to divide the spoil whoever shot 

 it. We followed steadily until a half hour from sun- 

 down. Every two or three hours we would come across 

 a big barrow load of dung; but now we came to one lot 

 which was warm and a bed that he had just risen out of. 

 He had got our wind, so we hurried on on tiptoe through 

 the thick thorny bush, and heard a crash away. We ran 

 our best, and presently saw the hindquarters of the huge 

 brute, trotting ahead about iOOyds. After running about 

 a half mile he stopped for an instant and looked round. 

 We took a snap shot through the bushes, and on again 

 on a blood spoor; but he put on more steam, and we lost 

 sight of him. I had to shoot with the Martini, as my 

 Kafir was behind with the .577 expre-s. My friend shot 

 with a .577 express solid bullet, which I lent him. The 

 Kafirs wanted to sleep on the spoor and follow on at 

 daylight, but I objected. We had had nothing to eat 

 since leaving camp; we never carry grub and I never 

 drink all day. It is no use sleeping on spoor with Kafirs, 

 they rise in the morning hungry, follow the spoor for an 

 hour or two and purposely lose it, especially if it is after 

 an animal that may show light. Although it got pitch 

 dark we reached camp all right, barring a few scratches. 

 I was in great hopes of getting him, as my friend N. was 

 a good shot and said that he took him behind the shoul- 

 der. When I fired I could not see his foreend at all. To 

 our surprise one of the others had had a like experience 

 with a black rhinoceras cow. He gave it a good shot in 

 front of the shoulder with larger bore than .577. 6 drams 

 powder; but she cleared out, and as she was dangerous 

 and he was a long way from camp, he came back to 

 sleep and to get another to help him. 



In the morning we started two and two. We took our 

 spoor from where we left off, a blood spoor showing on 

 the bushes 4ft. from the ground, for a short time. To 

 our annoyance we found that the' other party had taken 

 the spoor of our white rhinocerous instead of going after 

 their black rhinoceros. However, we followed on 

 grumbling, until we saw that they had disturbed him. 

 He had gone off at a run, their spoor still on him. That 

 put the finishing touch on, so with disgust we turned off 

 for camp. We were tramping along a dry creek, when 

 we suddenly heard a snort and saw 200yds. off the hind- 

 quarters of a rhinoceros. He had got our wind and was 

 standing snuffing. Then he made a rush into the thick 

 thorns. We lost no time after him, but crept silently on 

 the spoor for about twenty minutes, when one of the 

 Kafirs points him out about 60yds. off. I couldn't make 

 out his form for a good shot until he moved his head, 

 nose in the air, trying to get our wind. I fired and struck 

 him in front of the shoulders, which dropped him. N. 

 gave him one behind the ear to make surer. On exam- 

 ining him we found he was our friend of yesterday; we 

 were doubly glad after two days' spooring. It was the 

 first that N. had seen, so he took the head and I the tail, 

 dividing the skin. Our two friends, after following our 

 game and giving him up for lost, took their spoor of yes- 

 terday, and were following through the bush, when they 

 heard and half saw a big scrimmage in front, A lion 

 jumped off a sloping bough of a tree and another sprung 

 out of a dip in the ground immediately beneath him; but 

 being m an awkward place they did not get a shot. 

 However, they go on the spoor of a rhinoceros, and pres- 

 ently he was seen by one of them only, who opened the 

 ball with a shot, but what followed I ban hardly explain. 

 There was a deal of rhinoceros snorting and prancing 

 around. Kafir phelebags and ornaments lost, shirts torn 

 in the thorns, some skedaddling, some up trees, and all 

 terrified. My friend from Pilgrims eventually jumped 

 down out of a tree and finished her. Nobody was caught. 



I saw only one lion; there were plenty about, but the 

 cover was too thick for them to be seen. The one I saw 

 had heard me and stood up at 70yds. I was carrying the 

 Martini at the time, and firing struck a bush behind him 

 2ft. too high. I shot through some bush and the bullet 

 had tipped a couple of twigs, which threw it up. I set a 



spring gun for four lions that used to come and drink 

 near our camp. I set the gun carelessly, and it shot a 

 little bit out of his cheek only. I was on the spoor when 

 I got the fresh spoor of a black rhinoceros, which we fol- 

 lowed in the afternoon, when every minute I expected 

 to come up with it. We could hear it, for it had caught 

 our wind, and went crashing away. We hurried on 

 through the thick thorn. At last I could see it, but in- 

 distinctly. 1 moved to one side to get a clearer shot. It 

 was standing 60yds. or 50yds. off, nose in the air, dead 

 on, facing me. I waited a second until it turned its head 

 to one side; then I shot it behind the head, smashed the 

 neck bone with my .477 solid bullet and 6 drams. I 

 never use hollow bullets for big game. The rifle is one 

 of two we had made to order, 9 Jibs., Martini-Henry 

 action, India rubber heel plate, and it cannot be im- 

 proved so far as I can learn. 



As I had only one Kafir and one little boy with me, we 

 left the rhinocerous to the mercy of lions and wolves until 

 next morning, when we took the wagon for it. When 

 we got the skin off and the head, I let about ten Kafirs 

 loose, each with a knife. My Pilgrim friend and I stood 

 back out of the splash. After getting what they could 

 outside, they went inside, half up to the knees in blood 

 and dirt, scrambling and squabbling and pushing, just 

 like a lot of youngsters for pennies. One or two got cut, 

 but not badly. However much beef a Kafir has, he al- 

 ways wants more. I think he will eat as much beef at a 

 sitting as any twelve or fifteen white men; and for dessert 

 immediately afterward a bath of porridge that a big- 

 Scotchman could not manage. 



I have been getting a few koodoo here at home lately. 

 A koodoo bull will weigh 4001bs. , and is about the hand- 

 somest animal in South Africa, having long spiral horns, 

 4 or 5ft. long. * 



A RUN AFTER THE LONGTAILS. 



SINCE Australia has become such an important com- 

 mercial factor in the enterprise of the Southern 

 Hemisphere, especially regarding India, and steam com- 

 munication advanced" to the stage of a weekly service 

 between the two countries, it has grown to be the place 

 before all others where heat-fagged Indian officials may 

 pass a short sojourn and recuperate. The Australian 

 bush or upcountry fife is not now what it was years ago. 

 for with the rapid advance of civilization the supply of 

 large game has sensibly decreased, but hospitality still 

 reigns supreme, and visitors to the leading cities, no mat- 

 ter what their nationality, find little difficulty in procur- 

 ing through their consul a traveler's introduction to the 

 clubs, from whence to the station or ranch is a certainty, 

 for the squatters are only too glad to extend invitations, 

 if properly introduced, for a month's stay among the long- 

 tailed marsupials. 



Australian sheep stations or ranches are conducted 

 much the same as those in the western United States, 

 excepting perhaps that the head station is arranged with 

 better regard to comfort, so that visitors have every luxury 

 of city life combined with the outdoor sports peculiar to 

 the country, the most popular of which is hunting the 

 kangaroo. To be successful a kangaroo hunt requires no 

 little judgment, a good horse and a couple of brace of 

 well-trained dogs, for although when undisturbed he is 

 as harmless as a rabbit, an old man kangaroo when 

 brought to bay is an ugly customer, and one not to be 

 carelessly tackled. Since cattle raising has reached its 

 present enormous magnitude, and proved so safe and 

 lucrative an investment, anything that interferes with 

 its success must go under, hence the marsupials have 

 been slaughtered by the thousands to preserve feed for 

 the stock. Owing to this fact a few days are required to 

 arrange a hunt. 



When the day has been determined on, a few of the 

 black hands employed on the station are told off to scout 

 the district for new tracks. The Australian aboriginal, 

 although the lowest type of humanity to be met with, 

 is a keen sportsman and can run down an animal by its 

 track, with as unerring certainty as a full-blooded hound. 

 He is thus an invaluable help on a kangaroo hunt, and 

 enters into the pursuit with a zest which always insures 

 good sport to those joining in it. Kangaroos are run 

 down by sight with coarse strongly built dogs, a cross 

 between the mastiff and rough Scotch deerhound, speed 

 combined with enormous strength being essential. So 

 soon as a kangaroo has been located, the news is brought 

 to the head station, when each mounts his horse and fol- 

 lows the guide. The approach must be made from lee- 

 ward, as the animals scent is peculiarly sharp, not allow- 

 ing the dogs too much law through fear of dispiriting 

 them. The dogs are not slipped as in coursing hares; 

 they merely follow the guides anxiously, jumping in 

 high occasional springs when any sign is given them that 

 game is near by. At first a kangaroo takes matters 

 easily, seeming to think a novelty has been sprung on 

 him for his especial amusement, but when he finds the 

 dogs are pressing him close, notions of danger and the 

 necessity of clearing out bursts on his feeble imagination, 

 and away he goes like the wind, in a series of such comi- 

 cal bounds, that one leans to the idea he half flies. No 

 time must now be lost saddles are tightly pressed and 

 the well-trained horses obey every knee motion and keep 

 close to the yelping dogs. If the chase is across the open, 

 no danger exists except from an earth fissure or a passing 

 snake, either of which entails a cropper with perhaps a 

 broken limb or an ugly sprain, but my experience is that 

 such mishaps seldom occur, if the .horse is altogether 

 trusted, for as a rule the Australian bush horse is so per- 

 fectly trained that it can be safely depended on. But 

 when the line runs under low-hanging gum and wattle 

 trees, with a thick undergrowth of scrub, no little cau- 

 tion must be used, else a mishap similar to Absolom's 

 may ensue. 



Forward you bound, with your horse yielding every 

 ounce to keep the dogs in sight; past immense gnarled 

 primeval denizens of the plains, which at another time 

 would demand undivided attention, over dry water 

 courses in steeple chase desperation; onward, until the 

 pace begins to tell and your animal shows unmistakable 

 signs of being pumped out. and a " not-in-at-the-death" 

 record awaits you. Should it be your first hunt, this will 

 inevitably be the case, unless you strictly follow your 

 host's tactics, when you will find many little short cuts 

 taken, prompted by his experience of kangaroo habits 

 and his knowledge of the ground. Perhaps your horse 

 has bottom enough, and bravely carries you close to the 

 hounds, until suddenly, a few yards in front of you, you 

 almost ride over the varmint and the dogs engaged in a 



determined, but cautious, encounter. The dogs, not un-{ 

 mindful of many previous engagements, are wary of j 

 approaching too near, for they have a wholesome remem- | 

 brance that sharp claws tear and that a kangaroo can I 

 kick straight and strong. Such a contest might last a I 

 long time, but dogs and horses are done up, so you use I 

 your revolver or sporting rifle and humanely dispatch the I 

 game; otherwise your dogs may grow desperate and be- 1 

 come so maimed as to be of no further use in the field. I 



A kangaroo runs, or rather jumps, hard for his life: j 

 and the pace in following a pair of good dogs in hot pur- 1 

 suit of an "old man" is simply terrible, for unfortunately 

 little judgment is used. The horse, excited beyond meas- 1 

 ure, acts on his own training and experience, and his 

 rider, unconscious of the animal's motion, and regardless 

 of mishap, is so carried away by excitement that he be- 

 comes completely forgetful of consequences in his en- 

 deavor to keep the chase in view. 



When the game is brought to bag a great deal of cau- . 

 tion must be observed. In illustration of this, the writer 

 once saw an old man kangaroo (full grown and standing 

 nearly 5ft. high) snatch an immense hound in its arms 

 and deliberately rush into a neighboring creek up to its 

 loins in the stream, where it submerged the dog's head 

 and endeavored to drown it. In this it would have suc- 

 ceeded had not a bullet released poor old Bismarck from 

 such an unexpec ted bath. W. H. L. 



CHAT FROM MEXICO. 



1AM going to write a little letter that will scatter as 

 badly as the old army musket with which I hunted 

 when a boy. Dear old musket of the battered breech pin 

 that wouldn't come out, the big nipple and the mighty 

 hammer. How closely you are associated in my memory I 

 with a barefoot, sun-tanned boy, now far from the hills 

 and fields he carried you over and the creek which ran 

 among them, waded in summer, ice-bridged in winter ! 

 And let me record it to Old Betsy's credit that if she 

 did scatter, some of the load always "got there," and by 

 my being liberal with shot both as to quantity and size, 

 the meat was mine. Many a cottontail and squirrel — we 

 wouldn't waste a shot on Bob White— and not a few 1 

 ducks and turkeys answered to its friendly voice. But 

 what a trial that big nipple was ! Rarely could we get 

 any caps adapted to it, and it flattened out an ordinary 

 one till it looked like a wind-turned umbrella. Some- 

 times in this state it would stick in the hammer, some- 

 times lie on the uipple, sometimes by an unguarded 

 moment fall off or lose the precious fulminate. Weil do 

 I remember the Christmas morning when I stood in the 

 falling snow fumbling with that misfit cap while two 

 long-necked young turkey gobblers stood on the hillside 

 about 80yds. above me and said put, put ! Now this 

 that I have written about that old musket was a part < 

 the scatter load I really wasn't prepared for. 



I sympathize with "Podgers" on the dog question 

 Haven't 1 had my trials? My wife doesn't like dogs; thai 

 is to say, she is afraid of dogs in general, and does noi 

 make proper distinctions. I have tried to beguile her 

 into some of my enthusiasm by reading the best dog 

 stories I could find in Forest and Stream and elsewhere, 

 but about half the time she sniffs with skepticism. And 

 of all the places in which to inspire one with a proper re- 

 gard for the canine family, Mexico is about the worst 

 Of all the currish, mangy, sneaking, filthy, barking, quar- 

 relsome, detestable dogs the world, affords, the average 

 Mexican dog is about the worst. He is an exceedingly 

 numerous individual, too. Mexican houses are usually 

 built without yards, so the dog's place is either in the 

 house or in the street, usually the latter. The theory of 

 the "survival of the fittest" gets a black eye here surely, 

 unless the standard of fitness be wide of that usually 

 accepted by dog fanciers. 



Another difficulty I have contended with is luck. 1 

 must be that. True, I haven't, like "Podgers,'' spen_ 

 much money on dogs— written a (chcck)book in their 

 honor, so to speak. But I have tried in various economi 

 cal ways to secure a good dog, a sensible, intelligent dog, 

 that would be useful as well as companionable. The only 

 one my wife liked was a handsome English setter of 

 shady pedigree, which learned to follow the baby's buggy 

 and allowed the aforesaid baby to cuff him and pull his 

 tail. His only other accomplishment was to decorate the 

 front yard with fragments of the morning paper. Ham- 

 mond's counsel and my patience were alike wasted on 

 that numbskull; he absolutely could not or would not 

 learn a thing, and I gave him away in disgust. Next I 

 had a little black witch, a crossed Gordon setter and 

 spaniel, that was as bright as the other fellow had been 

 dull. She was a perfect little prodigy for field work, and 

 though not allowing the baby so many liberties, was 

 fairly welcome in the house. While trying to settle 

 down into a new home we lost her. This was all in 

 balmy California. 



There are a very few good dogs in Mexico. I got hole 

 of a smart young dog, of German blood, I think, thai 

 was quite intelligent, but had a strange and unnatural 

 antipathy to little children. I say, unnatural because I 

 never before saw a case. Is it not unnatural? So I am 



This is a poor country for dogs anyhow. The cactus 

 and thorns and horrible dryness would be a dreadful 

 trial to a good dog, and as the quail will not lie close and 

 there are no woodcock nor grouse, duck retrieving is about 

 all the use — aside, of course, from companionship — which 

 one has for a dog. And yet a gun without a dog seems I 

 but half an outfit for hunting. 



I went to San Antonio recently. That is quite a lively 

 town in shooting matters. And from all I could learn I 

 suppose that Corpus Cristi, a sleepy little town down on 

 the Gulf, is about the finest spot in the United States for 

 winter wildfowl shooting, with deer and turkey and quail j 

 in easy reach. There are three varieties of quail along . 

 the Texas Mexican border. Bob White, the California 

 valley quail (which some of your correspondents have re- 

 cently spoken of wrongly as mountain quail), and the Mex- 

 ican quail with a white topknot (Cyrtonyx moiitezuvtm. 

 I make this statement not from personal observation, but 1 

 from what I have heard. I only saw from the train Bob 

 White and the Mexican quail, the former after crossing 

 into Texas in great abundance. In fact I saw none on 

 this side of the line, though they are doubtless there. It 

 seemed just as it should be to be greeted on Uncle Sam's 

 soil by this little brown sprite, whom I had not seen for 

 five years, and I was sorry press of business did not 

 allow me to pay^ny respects to him. Aztec. 

 Sax Luis Potosi, Mexico. 



