March 27, 1909.] 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
489 
chancing a shot, I fired, and although hit, he 
went off at a great pace, tossing his head and 
twisting his tail in the extremelj' ludicrous way 
these animals have. To a tyro, the actions of 
these animals must be rather racking to the 
nerves, for a wildebeeste is a most ferocious 
animal to look at, and when a large herd be¬ 
gin jumping about and performing their antics, 
it is a sight well worth seeing. I followed the 
bull for miles, but was not successful. For a 
time there was a good blood spoor, but it 
soon stopped, and when he got on to some 
stony ground, I was completely at fault. Judg¬ 
ing from his spoor, he was a very large one. 
As meat was a necessity, I continued my 
hunt. Six dogs and fifteen boys can put away 
a large quantity of food, and we were running 
short. I soon saw some pigs, but they were all 
small. Later I found two hartebeeste within 
a mile of camp. The first I shot with my right 
barrel standing, and the second ran into the 
timber, but came out, and I got' him \Vith my 
left. We soon had the meat cut up, and carried 
into camp, and then some natives came in 
wanting meat; so I traded them meat for 
mealies, and thus replenished my stock of the 
latter. 
That night a lion came around the camp, but 
was evidently scared off by the dogs, which 
made an awful racket during the whole night. 
Nothing had any effect on them, but in spite 
of the noise, I at last fell asleep. 
Our next 'camp was in some rather thick 
bush. This I did not like, but as it was the 
only place near water, we had to make the best 
of it. I had the bush around the camp cut 
down, and with it made the zareba round the 
ponies a little higher and thicker than usual. 
There is nothing like taking all the precaution 
possible, and it was as well I did so, as all 
night long we could hear Hons grunting, but 
they did nothing more, and although the dogs 
commenced their usual song, I was so tired 
that I slept through it all. 
In the morning some natives reached camp 
who had not seen many white men. Later on 
I went to their village. There all the women 
and children turned out, squatted down and 
clapped their hands, a sign of welcome and re¬ 
spect. I noticed that all the huts had thorn 
fences around them, and they told me they 
were much troubled by lions, which were very 
plentiful, and that they did not dare leave their 
village after dark. They also informed me that 
rhino were in the vicinity. I determined to 
put in a week shooting in the neighborhood. The 
chief, in return for meat, promised to give me 
every assistance in the way of guides, and to 
furnish boys to carry in the meat. 
On returning to my own camp, I found one 
of my own boys very ill from a snake bite, and 
although I did everything in my power, it was 
of no use, and he died shortly afterward. We 
dug a grave and buried him early next morning. 
Then I started out with a guide from the village 
and two of my own natives, and traveled for 
some time, the bush becoming thicker before 
we came across any rhino spoor. Often we 
were obliged to creep through the brush on 
hands and knees. A little further on, I had a 
snap shot at one. As he did not charge, I do 
not think I hit him. It was almost impossible 
to make a certain shot, and the boy said we 
should find them only in the thickest bush. I 
replied that in that case they might remain in 
,p,eace, and I would wait for a better chance. 
On our way back we crossed a large swamp. 
Here there was fresh buffalo sign and some 
ancient elephant spoor. In the evening, I went 
out again in the opposite direction and killed 
a hartebeeste. 
The following day I had no luck, but dis¬ 
covered that we were close to a tsetse fly belt. 
This was certainly no joke, as I did not wish 
to lose either my horses or dogs, and so broke 
camp, traveling to the northwest, where they 
told me there was a good country which was 
occasionally visited by elephants, but that they 
were very scarce. Several natives wished to 
go with me. but I only allowed two to join my 
outfit, not wishing to make my caravan too 
SABLE ANTELOPE. 
large, as it then becomes a labor to feed the 
men. 
We , traveled for two days, during which 
time nothing of note happened. The nature of 
the country changed from time to time, but 
generally there was plenty of water, and suf¬ 
ficient game to supply our wants. During the 
march I wounded an eland, as it was going 
through the trees; and knowing it would not 
go far, I told two boys to follow it. They 
found it dead, and after reporting, returned 
with a gang to fetch in the meat. Eland is with¬ 
out doubt one of the best of all African big 
game for meat. It closely resembles the very 
best beef, and they are immense in size. There 
was thus sufficient meat to run the camp for 
several days. I often think eland breeding 
could be made a profitable business. They 
weigh as much as an ox, breed in captivity, and 
their meat is as good if not better. The initial 
outlay need not necessarily be large, and as far 
as I know, they are not affected by change of 
climate, though I should not venture to say 
they would stand intense cold. 
I marched for two more days, when some of 
the boys complained of sore feet. On reaching 
another good camp, I again rested for three 
days. By this time I had nearly recovered, and 
felt quite fit, but, of course, could not endure 
any great fatigue. 
Sam, my gunbearer, came rushing into my 
tent one morning with the news that there were 
three buffalo feeding in a swamp a half mile 
from camp. Weak or not, it did not take me 
long to get up, and gulping down a cup of 
coffee, I started, carrying my heavy rifle myself 
while Sam had my .303. They were there; 
three old bulls, and one a patriarch, judging by 
his appearance. An African buffalo is a very 
bad animal to tackle, for if wounded he is most 
vicious and troublesome, and in my condition, 
should I only wound and he charge, it might 
prove serious. However, such a trophy was 
not to be missed. 
They were close together, about 200 yards 
from where I stood, and quite unconscious of 
my approach. There was sufficient cover and 
bush to give ample opportunity for a good 
stalk, and the little wind that there was, was 
favorable. I made Sam follow close, so that 
he should be handy if necessar3L The stalk was 
easy, and by taking my time and judging op¬ 
portunities, I got within sixty yards of them. 
The bull nearest me was the smallest, and he 
kept covering the large one, but I waited 
patiently, as I wished to make a certain shot, 
and thus avoid accident. Soon I got my chance 
and took it, and I never saw animals so sur¬ 
prised. The big bull fell on his knees, regained 
his feet, stumbled a yard or two and then fell 
over. For some seconds the other two stood 
perfectly still, and then thundered into the 
bush, knocking down everything before them. 
I could have shot at another, for there was 
plenty of time, and I was sorry afterward that 
I had not done so, but at the time I thought 
it best to let well enough alone. 
The big bull was very old. His head was in¬ 
deed a fine one, and bore the marks of many a 
battle. When packing it for transportation to 
England in Buluwayo, several people remarked 
that it was a very fine one. Since then, I have 
shot a better one in British East Africa, whose 
horns were longer than the Rhodesian, but not 
quite so heavy. 
I sent the boy for help, and sat in the shade 
taking things easy. When he soon returned, 
we cut off the head and what meat we wanted 
and set out for camp. Old bull buffalo meat 
is not a delicacy. I prefer a nice oribi or im- 
pala steak. 
That evening, I was far from well again, and 
taking forty grains of quinine, I turned in 
early, but could not sleep, as I was suffering 
from fever, and still feeling ill, I stayed in camp 
all of the day, and decided to make for a settle¬ 
ment as soon as I could travel. Being ill 
among natives and far away from whites is 
rather a serious proposition. Doubtless I had 
overdone it all round since my recent attack, 
not realizing how weak I really was. 
Next day I started out for Kasunga, which 
was my nearest point, giving up the idea of 
trying for an elephant until later. I was very 
sorry, as the natives here said that within four 
days’ march we should be among them. 
