A great deal has been said about the prowess of Nimrod, in connection
with the chase, from the days of him of Babylon to those of the late
Mr. Apperley of Shropshire; but we question whether, among all the
sporting characters mentioned in ancient or modern story, there ever
was so mighty a hunter as the gentleman whose sporting calendar
now lies before us.[4] The annals of the chase, so far as we are
acquainted with them, supply no such instances of familiar intimacy
with lions, elephants, hippopotami, rhinoceroses, serpents,
crocodiles, and other furious animals, with which the human species
in general is not very forward in cultivating an acquaintance.
[Footnote 4: A Hunter's Life in South Africa. By R. Gordon Cumming,
Esq., of Altyre.]
Mr. Cumming had exhausted the deer-forests of his native Scotland;
he had sighed for the rolling prairies and rocky mountains of the Far
West, and was tied down to military routine as a mounted rifleman in
the Cape Colony; when he determined to resign his commission into the
hands of Government, and himself to the delights of hunting amid the
untrodden plains and forests of South Africa. Having provided himself
with wagons to travel and live in, with bullocks to draw them, and
with a host of attendants; a sufficiency of arms, horses, dogs, and
ammunition, he set out from Graham's-Town in October, 1843. From that
period his hunting adventures extended over five years, during which
time he penetrated from various points and in various directions from
his starting-place in lat. 33 down to lat. 20, and passed through
districts upon which no European foot ever before trod; regions where
the wildest of wild animals abound--nothing less serving Mr. Cumming's
ardent purpose.
A lion story in the early part of his book will introduce this
fearless hunter-author to our readers better than the most elaborate
dissection of his character. He is approaching Colesberg, the
northernmost military station belonging to the Cape Colony. He is on
a trusty steed, which he calls also "Colesberg." Two of his attendants
on horseback are with him. "Suddenly," says the author, "I observed
a number of vultures seated on the plain about a quarter of a mile
ahead of us, and close beside them stood a huge lioness, consuming
a blesblok which she had killed. She was assisted in her repast by
about a dozen jackals, which were feasting along with her in the most
friendly and confidential manner. Directing my followers' attention to
the spot, I remarked, 'I see the lion;' to which they replied, 'Whar?
whar? Yah! Almagtig! dat is he;' and instantly reining in their steeds
and wheeling about, they pressed their heels to their horses' sides,
and were preparing to betake themselves to flight. I asked them what
they were going to do? To which they answered, 'We have not yet placed
caps on our rifles.' This was true; but while this short conversation
was passing, the lioness had observed us. Raising her full round
face, she overhauled us for a few seconds, and then set off at a smart
canter toward a range of mountains some miles to the northward; the
whole troop of jackals also started off in another direction; there
was therefore no time to think of caps. The first move was to bring
her to bay, and not a second was to be lost. Spurring my good and
lively steed, and shouting to my men to follow, I flew across the
plain, and, being fortunately mounted on Colesberg, the flower of
my stud, I gained upon her at every stride. This was to me a joyful
moment, and I at once made up my mind that she or I must die. The
lioness soon after suddenly pulled up, and sat on her haunches like
a dog, with her back toward me, not even deigning to look round. She
then appeared to say to herself, 'Does this fellow know who he is
after?' Having thus sat for half a minute, as if involved in thought,
she sprang to her feet, and facing about, stood looking at me for a
few seconds, moving her tail slowly from side to side, showing her
teeth and growling fiercely. She next made a short run forward, making
a loud, rumbling noise like thunder. This she did to intimidate
me; but finding that I did not flinch an inch, nor seem to heed her
hostile demonstrations, she quietly stretched out her massive arms,
and lay down on the grass. My Hottentots now coming up, we all three
dismounted, and drawing our rifles from their holsters, we looked to
see if the powder was up in the nipples, and put on our caps. While
this was doing, the lioness sat up, and showed evident symptoms of
uneasiness. She looked first at us, and then behind her, as if to see
if the coast were clear; after which she made a short run toward us,
uttering her deep-drawn murderous growls. Having secured the three
horses to one another by their rheims, we led them on as if we
intended to pass her, in the hope of obtaining a broadside; but this
she carefully avoided to expose, presenting only her full front. I had
given Stofolus my Moore rifle, with orders to shoot her if she should
spring upon me, but on no account to fire before me. Kleinboy was to
stand ready to hand me my Purdey rifle, in case the two-grooved Dixon
should not prove sufficient. My men as yet had been steady, but
they were in a precious stew, their faces having assumed a ghastly
paleness; and I had a painful feeling that I could place no reliance
on them. Now, then, for it, neck or nothing! She is within sixty yards
of us, and she keeps advancing. We turned the horses' tails to her.
I knelt on one side, and taking a steady aim at her breast, let fly.
The ball cracked loudly on her tawny hide, and crippled her in the
shoulder; upon which she charged with an appalling roar, and in
the twinkling of an eye she was in the midst of us. At this moment
Stofolus'a rifle exploded in his hand, and Kleinboy, whom I had
ordered to stand ready by me, danced about like a duck in a gale of
wind. The lioness sprang upon Colesberg, and fearfully lacerated his
ribs and haunches with her horrid teeth and claws. The worst wound was
on his haunch, which exhibited a sickening, yawning gash, more than
twelve inches long, almost laying bare the very bone. I was very
cool and steady, and did not feel in the least degree nervous, having
fortunately great confidence in my own shooting; but I must confess,
when the whole affair was over, I felt that it was a very awful
situation, and attended with extreme peril, as I had no friend with
me on whom I could rely. When the lioness sprang on Colesberg, I
stood out from the horses, ready with my second barrel for the first
chance she should give me of a clear shot. This she quickly did; for,
seemingly satisfied with the revenge she had now taken, she quitted
Colesberg, and slewing her tail to one side, trotted sulkily past
within a few paces of me, taking one step to the left. I pitched my
rifle to my shoulder, and in another second the lioness was stretched
on the plain a lifeless corpse."
This is, however, but a harmless adventure compared with a subsequent
escapade--not with one, but with six lions. It was the hunter's habit
to lay wait near the drinking-places of these animals, concealed in a
hole dug for the purpose. In such a place on the occasion in question,
Mr. Cumming--having left one of three rhinoceroses he had previously
killed as a bait--ensconsed himself. Such a savage festival as that
which introduced the adventure, has never before, we believe, been
introduced through the medium of the softest English and the finest
hot-pressed paper to the notice of the civilized public. "Soon after
twilight," the author relates, "I went down to my hole with Kleinboy
and two natives, who lay concealed in another hole, with Wolf and
Boxer ready to slip, in the event of wounding a lion. On reaching
the water I looked toward the carcase of the rhinoceros, and, to
my astonishment, I beheld the ground alive with large creatures,
as though a troop of zebras were approaching the fountain to drink.
Kleinboy remarked to me that a troop of zebras were standing on the
height. I answered, 'Yes,' but I knew very well that zebras would not
be capering around the carcase of a rhinoceros. I quickly arranged my
blankets, pillow, and guns in the hole, and then lay down to feast my
eyes on the interesting sight before me. It was bright moonlight, as
clear as I need wish, and within one night of being full moon. There
were six large lions, about twelve or fifteen hyenas, and from twenty
to thirty jackals, feasting on and around the carcases of the three
rhinoceroses. The lions feasted peacefully, but the hyenas and jackals
fought over every mouthful, and chased one another round and round
the carcases, growling, laughing, screeching, chattering, and howling
without any intermission. The hyenas did not seem afraid of the lions,
although they always gave way before them; for I observed that they
followed them in the most disrespectful manner, and stood laughing,
one or two on either side, when any lions came after their comrades to
examine pieces of skin or bones which they were dragging away. I had
lain watching this banquet for about three hours, in the strong hope
that, when the lions had feasted, they would come and drink. Two black
and two white rhinoceroses had made their appearance, but, scared by
the smell of the blood, they had made off. At length the lions seemed
satisfied. They all walked about with their heads up, and seemed to
be thinking about the water; and in two minutes one of them turned his
face toward me, and came on; he was immediately followed by a second
lion, and in half a minute by the remaining four. It was a decided
and general move, they were all coming to drink right bang in my face,
within fifteen yards of me."
The hunters were presently discovered. "An old lioness, who seemed to
take the lead, had detected me, and, with her head high and her eyes
fixed full upon me she was coming slowly round the corner of the
little vley to cultivate further my acquaintance! This unfortunate
coincidence put a stop at once to all further contemplation. I
thought; in my haste, that it was perhaps most prudent to shoot
this lioness, especially as none of the others had noticed me. I
accordingly moved my arm and covered her; she saw me move and halted,
exposing a full broadside. I fired; the ball entered one shoulder, and
passed out behind the other. She bounded forward with repeated growls,
and was followed by her five comrades all enveloped in a cloud of
dust; nor did they atop until they had reached the cover behind
me, except one old gentleman, who halted and looked back for a few
seconds, when I fired, but the ball went high. I listened anxiously
for some sound to denote the approaching end of the lioness; nor
listened in vain. I heard her growling and stationary, as if dying. In
one minute her comrades crossed the vley a little below me, and made
toward the rhinoceros. I then slipped Wolf and Boxer on her scent,
and, following them into the cover, I found her lying dead."
Mr. Cumming's adventures with elephants are no less thrilling. He had
selected for the aim of his murderous rifle two huge female elephants
from a herd. "Two of the troop had walked slowly past at about sixty
yards, and the one which I had selected was feeding with two others
on a thorny tree before me. My hand was now as steady as the rock on
which it rested, so, taking a deliberate aim, I let fly at her head, a
little behind the eye. She got it hard and sharp, just where I aimed,
but it did not seem to affect her much. Uttering a loud cry, she
wheeled about, when I gave her the second ball, close behind the
shoulder. All the elephants uttered a strange rumbling noise, and made
off in a line to the northward at a brisk ambling pace, their huge
fanlike ears flapping in the ratio of their speed. I did not wait to
load, but ran back to the hillock to obtain a view. On gaining its
summit, the guides pointed out the elephants; they were standing in
a grove of shady trees, but the wounded one was some distance behind
with another elephant, doubtless its particular friend, who was
endeavoring to assist it. These elephants had probably never before
heard the report of a gun; and having neither seen nor smelt me, they
were unaware of the presence of man, and did not seem inclined to go
any further. Presently my men hove in sight, bringing the dogs; and
when these came up, I waited some time before commencing the attack,
that the dogs and horses might recover their wind. We then rode slowly
toward the elephants, and had advanced within two hundred yards of
them, when, the ground being open, they observed us, and made off
in an easterly direction; but the wounded one immediately dropped
astern, and next moment she was surrounded by the dogs, which, barking
angrily, seemed to engross her attention. Having placed myself between
her and the retreating troop, I dismounted to fire, within forty
yards of her, in open ground. Colesberg was extremely afraid of the
elephants, and gave me much trouble, jerking my arm when I tried to
fire. At length I let fly; but, on endeavoring to regain my saddle.
Colesberg declined to allow me to mount; and when I tried to lead him,
and run for it, he only backed toward the wounded elephant. At this
moment I heard another elephant close behind: and on looking about I
beheld the 'friend,' with uplifted trunk, charging down upon me at top
speed, shrilly trumpeting, and following an old black pointer named
Schwart, that was perfectly deaf, and trotted along before the enraged
elephant quite unaware of what was behind him. I felt certain that
she would have either me or my horse. I, however, determined not to
relinquish my steed, but to hold on by the bridle. My men, who of
course kept at a safe distance, stood aghast with their mouths open,
and for a few seconds my position was certainly not an enviable
one. Fortunately, however, the dogs took off the attention of the
elephants; and, just us they were upon me I managed to spring into the
saddle, where I was safe. As I turned my back to mount, the elephants
were so very near, that I really expected to feel one of their
trunks lay hold of me. I rode up to Kleinboy for my double-barrelled
two-grooved rifle; he and Isaac were pale and almost speechless with
fright. Returning to the charge, I was soon once more alongside,
and, firing from the saddle, I sent another brace of bullets into the
wounded elephant. Colesberg was extremely unsteady, and destroyed the
correctness of my aim. The 'friend' now seemed resolved to do some
mischief, and charged me furiously, pursuing me to a distance of
several hundred yards. I therefore deemed it proper to give her
a gentle hint to act less officiously, and so, having loaded, I
approached within thirty yards, and gave it her sharp, right and left,
behind the shoulder; upon which she at once made off with drooping
trunk, evidently with a mortal wound. Two more shots finished her; on
receiving them she tossed her trunk up and down two or three times,
and falling on her broadside against a thorny tree, which yielded like
grass before her enormous weight, she uttered a deep hoarse cry and
expired."
Mr. Cumming's exploits in the water are no less exciting than his land
adventures. Here is an account of his victory over a hippopotamus, on
the banks of the Limpopo river, near the northernmost extremity of his
journeyings.
"There were four of them, three cows and an old bull; they stood in
the middle of the river, and though alarmed, did not appear aware of
the extent of the impending danger. I took the sea-cow next me, and
with my first ball I gave her a mortal wound, knocking loose a great
plate on the top of her skull. She at once commenced plunging round
and round, and then occasionally remained still, sitting for a few
minutes on the same spot. On hearing the report of my rifle two of
the others took up stream, and the fourth dashed down the river; they
trotted along, like oxen, at a smart pace as long as the water was
shallow. I was now in a state of very great anxiety about my wounded
sea-cow, for I feared that she would get down into deep water, and
be lost like the last one; her struggles were still carrying her
down stream, and the water was becoming deeper. To settle the matter
I accordingly fired a second shot from the bank, which, entering
the roof of her skull, passed out through her eye; she then, kept
continually splashing round and round in a circle in the middle of the
river. I had great fears of the crocodiles, and I did not know that
the sea-cow might not attack me. My anxiety to secure her, however,
overcame all hesitation; so, divesting myself of my leathers, and
armed with a sharp knife. I dashed into the water, which at first took
me up to my arm-pits, but in the middle was shallower. As I approached
Behemoth her eye looked very wicked. I halted for a moment, ready to
dive under the water if she attacked me, but she was stunned, and did
not know what she was doing; so, running in upon her, and seizing
her short tail, I attempted to incline her course to land. It was
extraordinary what enormous strength she still had in the water. I
could not guide her in the slightest, and she continued to splash, and
plunge, and blow, and make her circular course, carrying me along with
her as if I was a fly on her tail. Finding her tail gave me but a poor
hold, as the only means of securing my prey, I took out my knife, and
cutting two deep parallel incisions through the skin on her rump, and
lifting this skin from the flesh, so that I could get in my two hands,
I made use of this as a handle; and after some desperate hard work,
sometimes pushing and sometimes pulling, the sea-cow continuing her
circular course all the time and I holding on at her rump like grim
Death, eventually I succeeded in bringing this gigantic and most
powerful animal to the bank. Here the Bushman, quickly brought me a
stout buffalo-rheim from my horse's neck, which I passed through the
opening in the thick skin, and moored Behemoth to a tree. I then took
my rifle, and sent a ball through the center of her head, and she was
numbered with the dead." There is nothing in "Waterton's Wanderings,"
or in the "Adventures of Baron Munchausen" more startling than this
"Waltz with a Hippopotamus!"
In the all-wise disposition of events, it is perhaps ordained that
wild animals should be subdued by man to his use at the expense
of such tortures as those described in the work before us. Mere
amusement, therefore, is too light a motive for dealing such wounds
and death Mr. Cumming owns to; but he had other motives,--besides a
considerable profit he has reaped in trophies, ivory, fur, &c., he has
made in his book some valuable contributions to the natural history of
the animals he wounded and slew.
* * * * *