WILD ELEPHANT.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 88, 15 April 1941, Page 4

WILD ELEPHANT.

DISTURBED SOLDIER'S REST.

EAST AFRICA EXPERIENCES

Prowling the tropical jungle along an East African river, wild beasts were recently the most immediate enemies of British soldiers operating in country around Nairobi. Nor was there much opportunity for rest because rowdy monkeys and baboons in the trees above kept the soldiers awake half the night. "That elephant's footmarks were only 19iu in diameter!" writes Lieutenant L. G. Westwood, formerly *>f New Plymoitth, in relating an adventure that was too close for comfort.

"About a week ago," he says, "I had a terrific scare when a lone outcast elephant wandered to within 20ft of my bed, rrhich was- in the middle of the shadie6t bush I could find. As soon a«4 I heard it breathe and realised what it was I was out. the far side and away barefoot as fast as I could move.

"I Had several nightmares after that, and- in one of tliem I screamed because, as I imagined, I had been caught by one of. those big baboons. I scared the wits out of a chap a few yards from me." Constant vigilance againtt attacks from wild beasts is necessary. "Still," lie writes, "they have not killed anyone yet., though a lion killed four cattle only 200 yards from us last night. Some nights I feel I should like to be inside a cage myself." Shooting for freeh meat served in some measure to compensate for isolation, but even that sport might have been denied him shortly after Lieutenant Westwood wrote. He was almost out of ammunition and though he had sent to Nairobi for more, he did pot know when or if he would get it.