OMARA THE ELEPHANT SLAYER

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 58, 1 December 1934, Page 23

OMARA THE ELEPHANT SLAYER

A man who goes iion-hunting.with a sword, is no better than a fool. An African native who went elephanthunting with a spear is a hero. There is no doubt about, the bravery of Edward Omara of Hie Chua District. Northern Uganda, even if the King bud not conferred on him the Order of the British Empire in proof of it. His bravery is the greater because h.e was not looking for trouble. Two brave acts are to his account. The first time he was the companion of a game scout who had wounded two bulls of a herd of marauding elephants which are such a menace to native crops and villages. One of the bulls, only slightly wounded, charged him and pinned hlni to the ground. Omara sprang to the game scout and pulied out the rifle from between the elephant’s feet. He could not reload, so he attacked the elephant with his spear. He drove it off. and then carried the scout, a three-hours’ journey, back to Adilang. The unfortunate scout afterward died. Omara lived to fight another day and another elephant. The second elephant was an infuriated beast, which took possession of a village water-hole and terrorised the neighbourhood. I'he villagers could do nothing. They sent for Omara the elephant man, and he did not fail them. He took his trusty spear, like a modern St. George, and now there is one elephant fewer to maraud Uganda.