WARNINGS AGAINST THE BUSH--SEARCH AFTER A LEOPARD--UNSTEADY HANDS--
METHODS OF HUNTING ELEPHANTS--SPEED OF THE ELEPHANT--BUSH-TRAVELLING--
TRACES OF THE ELEPHANTS--SOLITUDE OF THE BUSH--TRACKING THE HERD--CHARGE
OF ANGRY ELEPHANTS--THE HORSES REACHED--SEARCH FOR THE WOUNDED
ELEPHANT--THE SUCCESSFUL SHOT--AN UNWITTING ESCAPE.
I had received so many accounts from different sources as to the great
dangers that were certainly to be met in the dense bush of the Berea,
and also the part that extended across the Umganie for several miles up
the coast, that I had hesitated attempting so rash a course as entering
it until I had gathered experience from trying cautiously at first what
dangers I was likely to encounter. "Elephants would catch me; tigers
(ie leopards) becroup (ie stalk) me; snakes bite me," etc.: these and
other horrors would be sure to entail my return on a shutter. I
frequently rode round and looked for a short distance into different
parts of the bush, gathering confidence each time.
One morning early, a Hottentot man came to tell me that his master had
sent him to ask if I would like to join a party going out after a
leopard that had destroyed several chickens, and had also breakfasted on
a half-grown pig on the said morning. I was glad of this chance, as I
hoped to see some sport, and immediately shouldering my gun, and
fastening a large clasp-knife in my belt, joined my guide, who led me to
a house on the outskirts of the village of D'Urban, where I found a
party of ten or twelve as rough-looking customers as one could desire to
see: I am sure a leopard would not have had courage even to look at
them. If beards or dirt made African sportsmen, I thought I must be in
a very hot-bed of them.--I soon saw that the party were more of the
style of _sporting-men_ than _sportsmen_; they were liberally imbibing
brandy and water, which they wanted to force upon me to steady my
nerves; an auxiliary I begged to decline, first, on account of the hour
(10 a.m.), and, secondly, because the shaking hands of many present made
me doubt its steadying qualities. We started in two divisions, one
taking the trail into the bush where the pig had been made pork, while
the other entered where the leopard generally came out.
The cover was so very dense and thick that we were obliged to crawl on
all fours, great care being necessary to prevent the triggers or cocks
of the gun from getting set and caught: we were all particularly
requested to be silent; but the hairy men _would_ talk. After creeping
150 yards, we came to some of the bones of the pig, evidently just left
by the leopard: we watched carefully every gloomy part of the
surrounding bush to discover the leopard, but could see nothing.
Suddenly a bird flitted away close to us, and one of the bearded
gentlemen, who had appeared the greatest swaggerer, called for us to
look out, as the leopard was coming. I immediately heard the
click-click of double-barrelled guns coming to full cock, and saw a
gentleman a few yards to my right pointing his gun straight at me; I
shouted to him to mind what he was about, when he coolly told me he was
only getting ready in case the leopard sprung; his shaking hands,
however, were certainly not pleasant masters of a trigger, the slightest
pressure on which would have sent an ounce of lead through me.
I withdrew as soon as possible, as I was convinced there was no chance
of seeing sport with these cock-tail gentry, who, it is almost needless
to add, saw nothing of the wild animal, and returned soon to their
nerve-steadying specific. The leopard had been seen retreating by two
Kaffirs, who happened to be passing on the opposite side, immediately we
entered the bush: we could not have been within 300 yards of the
monster, therefore, at any time.
With most South-African sportsmen the elephant is one of the last of the
wild animals which he is fortunate enough to see: it was my first. The
view was not a long one, still it is well impressed on my memory.
I received a note one morning before breakfast from a true sportsman,
informing me that he knew of a large herd of elephants in the Berea,
and, if I would join him, he hoped that we might get a shot at them.
This proposition, from our ignorance of all the artifices necessary in
the bush, was rather rash, as elephant-shooting is always dangerous
sport, and when attempted by novices on foot in a dense bush against a
very savage herd, it becomes still more so.
Elephants are generally hunted in Africa on horseback. The Dutchmen,
who frequently obtain their living by this sport only, are amongst the
most accomplished hands; they make periodical trips into the uninhabited
districts, or where elephants are numerous, and the country open or
park-like. When a herd of elephants is discovered, these Boers make a
plan of attack, either to drive the herd of game to a better and more
open country, or to prevent them from retreating to the dense bushes
near. As soon as everything suits, they mark out the leader of the
troop, generally the biggest bull-elephant. They then ride up as near
as they dare, and give him a volley; if he falls, they can manage the
remainder more easily, as, missing their chief, some confusion takes
place. Should he, however, be only wounded, turn savage, and charge, as
is most frequently the case, they close together, and gallop away for a
hundred yards or so, when, at a given signal, they separate, and ride
round in different directions. This diversion generally puzzles the
elephant, and, before he has made up his mind what to do, another
broadside is poured into him. Two or three volleys are generally
sufficient to quiet the big bull. I have been assured by many old
elephant-hunters that they have frequently seen a herd of elephants
stand with their heads together, after the leader has been killed, as
though in despair, and they would not make a rush: these may be
pleasant, but are undoubtedly rare, chances for the pot-hunter. Gordon
Cumming's plan of lying in wait for the elephants at their
drinking-place was a bold and successful plan. I cannot but think him a
very lucky man never to have had a wounded bull charge him then; had one
done so, I fear we should not have had his amusing lectures, or his own
account of his wonderful sport.
Many methods of elephant-hunting may never have come to light, owing to
the enterprising sportsman having been crushed to death by his
infuriated game before he had an opportunity of making public his
experience.
An elephant can run very fast, and moves with surprising ease and
silence.
I remember hearing tales as a boy of the elephant's beginning to turn
early in the morning, and managing to finish his gymnastic performance
by mid-day; the wily hunter, therefore, by keeping behind, him was
always safe.
My own experience is very different from this: I have seen them turn
round and crash away through the forest with nearly the rapidity of a
large buck; and a man's speed stands but a poor chance in comparison
with theirs. In the thick underwood or reeds a man is continually
impeded, while an elephant walks through everything with the greatest
ease; a horse, however, in open ground gets away from an elephant,
especially when going up hill, the weight of the latter being much
against it on rising ground.
The elephant stands very high in the class of wise animals, and, I
believe, is as fully susceptible of a moral lesson as is a schoolboy.
When a large herd is but seldom disturbed by man, but on each visit five
or six elephants are killed, and two or three more die of their wounds,
the remainder then have a very great dread of the smell of a biped, and
the report of his gun; but when elephants are disturbed very frequently,
and only one shot obtained at them, which wounds and annoys, but may not
kill, they become very savage, and, upon smelling their teasing enemy,
are at once furious and vindictive. The herds that came into the Natal
bush were of this latter disposition; they were frequently disturbed,
and sometimes fired at, but without any great result, as the density of
the cover rendered it almost impossible to get more than one shot; and a
single bullet rarely carries immediate death.
The bush for many miles up the Natal coast was impenetrable, except by
the paths that the elephants had made; and in which they had stalked to
and from water, and from place to place, in Indian file. It was
difficult for a man, when moving along these paths, to see many yards on
either side, the underwood, briers, and parasitical plants, being matted
together like a hedge. In many, parts one has to force himself through
places where he cannot see a yard around him. Here he must trust to
hearing, and almost to scent, or he will not long be left to enjoy the
excitement of the sport, which, when once indulged in, produces a
bush-fever that leaves as lasting an impression as the similar disease
caught on the prairies of the Far West. Patience, caution, keen senses,
and experience, are the requisites for this work; and unless a hunter
possesses the whole of these qualities, he will give but a sorry account
of the fun to be had in the bush; the general cry being "that no game is
to be seen there."
I soon joined my friend, who, although a thorough good sportsman, and a
slayer of nearly all the large game of Africa, was still not quite up to
the precautions necessary in thick bush-work, I at the time being
grossly ignorant of everything connected with it.
We cantered over the Natal flat, and entered a small, narrow bush-path,
that led to the top of the Berea. On the way, my friend told me how he
had become acquainted with the position of the herd we purposed
encountering.
His Kaffirs had discovered the traces on the road to Pietermaritzburg,
which they had crossed during the night. He himself had examined the
road leading to the flagstaff at the top of the Berea, and found that
they had not passed this; so he knew that they must be between the two
roads mentioned. He therefore concluded that we should find them about
half-way between the two, and near a large umbrella-looking tree, which
plainly showed itself from all parts of the surrounding country.
Unfortunately, as both our guns were of small calibre, being
fourteen-bore only, I was recommended to put in two tops of powder,
instead of the usual charge of one, and also to use my friend's bullets,
as they had been prepared with one-eighth of tin, to harden the balls,
and prevent them from flattening against a bone.
The Berea in this part was about two miles broad, and was very thick,
with plenty of underwood in most parts.
On reaching the top of the woody hill, we found an open space of some
twenty yards in diameter, where we dismounted, and left our horses,
taking care to fasten them to a tree by the head-stalls, which are
generally allowed to remain on the head, either for the purpose of
fastening up a horse, or for knee-haltering him. M--(my friend) showed
me the fresh indications of the elephants. The grass was trodden down
in every direction, and in some places it was torn up, as though a heavy
piece of timber had been dragged along over it. One or two places,
which were destitute of grass and rather clayey, retained large circular
and oval-shaped impressions, which M--explained to me as belonging,--the
circular to the bull, and the oval to the cow-elephants; the height of
the respective elephant being about six times the diameter of these
impressions. We measured one footprint, which gave us an answer of
twelve feet, a height quite sufficient to satisfy the fastidious in this
sort of sport.
A strange mysterious feeling came over me in being thus brought for the
first time on the fresh traces of evidently a numerous herd of these
gigantic animals. I began to ask if it were not great impertinence for
two such pigmies as we now seemed, to attempt an attack upon at least
forty of these giants, who, by a swing of their trunks, or a stamp of
their foot on us, could have terminated our earthly career with as much
ease as we could that of an impertinent fly? There is also an utter
feeling of loneliness, and self-dependence, in treading the mazes of
these vast forests. One mile of bush always appeared to remove me
farther from man and his haunts than twenty miles of open country. One
is inspired with a kind of awe by the gloom and silence that pervade
these regions, the only sounds being the warning-note of some
hermit-bird, or the crack of a distant branch. The limited view around
also tends to keep every other sense on the alert, and the total absence
of every sign of man, or man's work, appears to draw one nearer to the
spirit-world, and to impress us with a greater sense of the Divine
presence.
Our advance was rather quick, as we did not pay sufficient attention to
the signs and noises as we approached the elephants. Scarcely thirty
yards had been gone over when I looked round to the spot where our
horses stood; the thickness of the intervening bush, however, prevented
me from seeing them. Several large branches had been broken off the
trees, the ends eaten, and then cast across the path in different
directions. Either in play or rage, the elephants had entirely
destroyed two or three trees of a considerable size, that stood near
their path, peeling the bark off in many instances for several feet up
the stems.
We steadily continued our advance, following in the footsteps of the
elephants; the freshly-trodden course of the gigantic animals being
clearly indicated.
I was much surprised at the silence that reigned in the bush. I
expected that a herd of wild elephants would indicate their presence by
noises audible at a great distance. M--told me, however, that during
the day they usually remained quiet, especially when they knew that they
were in a suspicious neighbourhood, or where they had lately smelt
traces of man. This cautious proceeding I have since discovered to be
invariable.
We trudged on steadily for about a mile, creeping under the branches
that crossed our path, and removing others which had apparently been
dropped by the elephants. We were at length stopped by observing the
branches of a distant tree violently shaken. We watched them for a
considerable time, and listened, but only heard a queer sort of rumbling
noise for which we could not then account. This, as I afterwards knew,
was caused by elephants; but seeing a couple of monkeys jumping about in
a distant tree, we thought that it was caused by these little animals,
and therefore proceeded.
About one hundred yards farther the bush became very dense, long
creepers growing all over the shrubs, matting and tying the underwood
together, so as to render it quite impenetrable, except where the
elephants had forced a path. We moved through these passages quickly,
and of course caused some noise. I was about two yards behind M--, and
scarcely expected anything could be near, when suddenly the bushes on
our right and close to us were violently shaken, and a deep sort of
growl was uttered, that sounded much like a lion's roar. M--jumped
forward, and raised his gun to fire; I was going to follow him, but on
looking a little to our left, I saw a huge elephant, about ten yards
distant, striding towards us, with his trunk coiled up and ears erect.
At the same instant M--fired to his right, and springing past me,
shouted, "Run for your fife!" I did not stop for another look, as I
then heard, almost over me, the terrific shrill trumpet of the animal
which I had seen charging, in addition to the growl of the wounded
elephant and the answering shrieks of several others who were round us.
Our burst for the first hundred yards must have been fine, but we had
nothing to spare, as I looked round soon after starting and saw the big
elephant coming after us as if he really meant mischief, and but a short
distance behind us.
I lost my hat, but we rushed on, diving under some branches, hopping
over others, dodging this way and that, until I was completely blown,
and called for a halt, as, having both barrels loaded, I was anxious for
a shot. M--, however, would not hear of stopping, but still recommended
that we should clear out of the bush with the greatest quickness, as the
herd had shown themselves so savage. I bowed to his superior judgment,
knowing that he combined true courage and daring with a sufficient
caution to prevent recklessness for the mere sake of display. We at
length came to our horses, and I must own I felt more comfortable when
my leg was over my stout game little pony, than I did when on foot
within a yard or so of the elephant's trunk.
We stopped to listen, and heard the shrieks and trumpets of this wild
troop, and the crashing of the bush, which showed that they had not yet
entirely given up the hope of trampling to death their insignificant but
annoying enemy. I had, as I before stated, dropped my hat during the
first hundred yards' rush, and I did not care at the time to stop to
pick it up.
M--soon told me that he thought we should find his elephant dead if we
returned, as he had killed rhinoceroses, and thought the growl we had
heard was indicative of a death-wound. As he had aimed behind the
shoulder, he considered such a result probable.
Upon riding clear from the bush, we found on the Natal flat a Hottentot,
who was quietly sitting down mending his only pair of trowsers; he
looked at us very knowingly and said, "_Olephants barnie qui bas_,"
(Elephants very angry, sir). Upon asking him how he knew this, he told
us, that although he could only just hear the report of the gun, he
could still plainly hear the elephant's trumpet, and he knew from the
tone how savage they must be: this man was at least a mile distant from
the scene of our encounter. On that evening it was decided that early
on the morrow we should retrace our steps, and follow up the wounded
elephant until we found him, in case he happened not to be dead on the
spot; and also that we were to divide the ivory, as, although I had not
actually fired, I had still aided and abetted in the affair. While we
were thus quietly counting our chickens, this tough old African giant
was most probably walking away through the forest, with no more idea of
dying than we had; little cared he for a fourteen-to-the-pound bullet!
This was my first introduction to the South-African elephant, and I may
say to South-African game.
On the following morning, the dew had scarcely been dried by the sun
before we entered the bush on our traces of yesterday. We brought with
us an English settler, an experienced elephant-hunter, two Kaffirs, and
a Hottentot. We were uncertain about bringing a hatchet for the purpose
of cutting out the teeth, in case the elephant was dead (the tusks, I
should here remark, are commonly called the teeth, while what in England
are called the teeth are really the grinders). We saved ourselves a
vast amount of ridicule by leaving the hatchet at home.
We had no difficulty in at once recognising the spot on which our
yesterday's scene was acted. Had we been in doubt, the discovery of my
hat would have settled the question; it had been knocked out of the
path, and its broad brim was smashed considerably. No doubt the big
elephant, in his charge, had accidentally trodden on it, and kicked it
on one side.
We went to the spot on which M--'s elephant had stood. I certainly was
disappointed to find that he had not even fallen on receiving the shot.
None but an experienced eye could tell that anything extraordinary had
even taken place here; but both Kaffirs and Hottentot at once saw, by
the traces, all that had happened. These sharp-sighted savages pointed
to the spot from whence M--had fired, and then to where the elephant had
stood. They said he had turned round and rushed headlong towards the
smoke of M--'s gun. He there stopped, and then slowly retreated,
keeping himself away from the remainder of the herd.
We followed his traces, and soon found blood, both on the leases and
branches, as also on the ground, but not in such large quantities as I
should have supposed. We followed this spoor for some distance; but the
blood soon ceasing, and the wounded elephant's traces being crossed by
other feet, we saw no more of him.
We discovered, however, that, during our advance on the previous day, we
had passed three elephants within fifty yards without being aware of
their vicinity. The noise which we had heard and the rumbling sounds
were caused by them. They thought it prudent to remain nearly still;
and their plan was successful, as they were undiscovered by us.
We also saw that three or four elephants, that were feeding close to the
spot from whence we had fired, had chased us for at least two hundred
yards. Fortunately, one of the sharp turns which we had taken threw
them out in the chase, and very probably saved us from being acquainted
with the weight of their feet.
I must say that this little adventure somewhat cooled my ardour for a
second meeting with these angry brutes. Interviews, however, frequently
did again happen, as will be seen by the future pages.