Aug. 13, 1910.] 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
249 
but could not run across them. We could not 
shoot other game on account .of disturbing the 
elephants, and my porters were running short of 
meat, so I gave up the elephants and started out 
with the caravan the next morning, i had not 
gone far before I shot two hartebeeste which 
put the boys in a good humor again. We d el 
not meet many natives and the villages were de¬ 
cidedly scarce, but the natives we saw were most 
friendly and seemed anxious to help, especially 
when promised a present. 
One day 1 had the closest acquaintance with a 
rhino that I ever expect to have. The grass was 
fairly long and the boys called my attention to 
what I made out to be a lone rhino standing in 
the shade of some bushes about one-half a mile 
away. The front horn was a good one and I 
determined to get a little closer to see if it was 
worth while shooting as, unless a very good 
specimen, I did not want it, for it was an ob¬ 
ject to save every extra pound. The wind was 
absolutely in my favor. I had come up to with¬ 
in about forty yards and was just having a good 
look at him, when Hassan yelled, “Run!” and 
there, charging down on us was another rhino 
that had evidently been asleep or lying down 
and had not been noticed. 1 had no time to do 
anything but run, and when I turned I am sure 
that he was within five yards of me, but evi¬ 
dently catching sight of H assarts w'hite clothes 
he made after him. The rhino was only a small 
one, but very determined. I fired and hit him 
square in the shoulder, which brought him up 
sharp, enabling me to fire my second barrel, at 
which he dropped. I expected the other larger 
one to make mischief, but he went off as hard 
as he could. I was sorry to have to shoot this 
one, as he was practically useless, but then what 
could I do? It was really a case of self defense, 
and with rhino it is their own fault. They will 
not let you alone. 
There did not seem to be many lions in this 
part. We had heard them at night on two occas¬ 
ions only, but so far had not seen one. We came 
across more elephant sign, but they were evi¬ 
dently traveling, and I did not bother to follow 
them up. On getting into camp I went out with 
my shotgun to try for some guinea fowl, and 
after shooting three, was on my way back to 
camp when we came across the spoor of a bull 
that must have been the father of all elephants. 
He had evidently been disturbed by my shots and 
was moving rapidly. I cursed my luck, but after 
all it was entirely my own foolishness. I made 
up my mind I would take his spoor and see in 
which direction he went. 
In the early morning, as soon as it was light, 
with Hassan and two other boys I .started out, 
but after going three miles or more we could 
make nothing of it. The ground was hard and 
covered with small rocks and there were a num¬ 
ber of other tracks of a small herd and we got 
hopelessly at sea and mixed up. Hassan was 
for following up the small herd, but the tracks 
were not fresh and we had not brought food 
nor come prepared for a night out. still we made 
a big circle to try to strike the big bull’s track, 
but it was no go; there were tracks in every 
direction, none of them very fresh and I had to 
make up my mind to one of two things, either 
to stay there for a few days and take my time 
or to move on, and as I had been out now more 
than a month I made up my mind that I had no 
time to waste, and that I had best move on. 
Up to this time we had had no difficulty on 
account of water, and although Africa is always 
supposed to be a dry country—of course I am 
not alluding to the deserts—1 have found water 
scarcer in other countries. We had gone only a 
short distance the following day, before we came 
on the spoor of two cows and one old bull. Giv¬ 
ing directions to Eli to go on a certain distance 
and make camp, I took the trail with Hassan. 
Before going far the three had separated, one 
cow going on alone, so naturally we followed 
the others. The ground was very rough and 
rocky and although they were only a short dis¬ 
tance ahead of us, I never could have kept the 
trail myself; but trust a Somali for a tracker. 
You cannot beat them, though 1 have found 
other natives just as good. 
We had just come out of the timber into a 
clearing when Hassan showed me,the two ele¬ 
phants slowly crossing a little ravine. They 
were about 200 yards from me, but I dared not 
chance a shot and as the wind was gusty and 
none too good, I made up my mind to try to 
cut them off. The bull was a large one and I 
could see that he carried good ivory. Hassan 
quickly agreed to my plan. He was very keen 
when there was something good in sight. We 
turned to the left, made a half circle and when 
we again crossed their tracks we knew they had 
gone on and that we were too late. They had 
only just passed and we again followed. On 
topping the next rise we almost ran on to them, 
as they were standing under a tree with trunks 
upraised, evidently suspicious and trying to get 
our wind. To get nearer was impossible and I 
tried a head shot with a solid .303 and fired my 
second barrel immediately after, but my aim was 
not true and away they crashed, the cow trum¬ 
peting loudly and turning round and round. 1 
seized the big rifle and ran as fast as I could, 
taking care to keep out of sight and got another 
shot as they were crossing an opening and turn¬ 
ing a bit to the left. This brought the bull to 
his knees, but he got up once more and started 
off very groggy and had not gone more than 
fifty yards before he rolled over. The old cow 
would not leave him, but she'could not get our 
wind. She was vicious, full of mischief and in 
a most dangerous humor. As I did not wish 
to shoot her, I thought discretion the better part 
of valor and decided to get on to camp and send 
back beys with Hassan to carry in the ivory, 
when in all probability she would have gone. 
J OHN AXMAN had his day in Rhode Island 
and Massachusetts, but that was years be¬ 
fore my time, though the land still bore 
signs of his presence and activity. I first found 
him in the linn and hardwood groves of Central 
Iowa, and since then I have bunked and fed 
with him in a score of States and Territories 
between the Mississippi and the Rockies. He is 
good company wherever you find him, hospit¬ 
able, cordial, frank, but never offensively curious 
We found our camp without difficulty and I 
sent back six boys to cut out the ivory. Toward 
dusk they returned and reported that the cow 
had gone off before their arrival, although the 
ground was trampled down all around the dead 
bull. The tusks were very good, weighing 83 
and 78 pounds respectively, were very symmetri¬ 
cal and in excellent condition. The bull was not 
old, as I had at first thought, but absolutely in 
his prime. 
'that night I felt very seedy and knew l was 
in for an attack of my old friend, malarias I 
dosed myself according y, but in the morning my 
head was splitting and 1 was quite unable to 
march. There I remained for three days, before 
1 felt well enough to take the trail, but as we 
were again running short of meat, I was. forced 
to make an effort, and on the afternoon ran 
across two oryx that I secured with a right and 
left. It is a great satisfaction to one to make a 
right and left at big game, just as it is with rock¬ 
eting pheasants or even rabbits. One is inclined 
to pat his chest and feel that he has made a very- 
fine shot.® In the evening some natives turned 
out and we got some grain, and what to me 
was most acceptable, a large bowl of milk. They 
told me their village was not far off and I 
promised them I would visit them on the mor¬ 
row, which I did. I left the matter of asking 
about gold dust to Eli, but in spite of presents 
they professed entire ignorance of its where¬ 
abouts, but'said that they had seen small quan¬ 
tities of it carried by' other natives, who did not 
belong to their tribe, but came from further 
north. I think they lied, but though I stayed 
there two days and shot them all the meat they 
wanted, we got no further. The chief was 
most keen to trade for my rifle and offered me 
every inducement he cou.d, and as for wives, 
I could have become a Mormon there and 
then. 
At this time I panned, most carefully, any 
gravel or sandbars found in the river beds, and 
though several times 1 got colors, there was not 
enough to warrant my laying off and working. 
All these streams or rather river beds carry- a 
trace of gold, but where does it come from? The 
question has undoubtedly bothered a good many 
besides myself, but the riddle is still unsolved. 
The country we were now traveling through was 
purely a pastoral one and the natives had large 
flocks of goats and a good many cattle. Game 
was abundant. 
concerning the affairs of others. His world may 
be a small one, but he knows it well. Questions 
of worldwide or national importance rarely 
trouble him. He may know nothing of current 
happenings on the further side of the State or 
county, yet he will catch y-our attention at the 
first word, and y-ou will have a few new ideas 
to digest when you leave him. Which is best— 
to know a little about many things, or all there 
is to know about a few? 
Hewers of Wood 
By S. D. BARNES 
