BIG GAME HUNT IN AFRICA

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIV, 8 December 1930, Page 4

BIG GAME HUNT IN AFRICA

THRILLING SPORT

NEW ZEALANDER WOUNDED BY BUFFALO

HIPPOPOTAMUS ATTACKS CANOE

Thrills sufficient to last most people a lifetime fell lo the lot of Mr H. Thomas of Auckland, on his first big game expedition in Africa. He had a miraculous escape from death, in an encounter with a wounded buffalo, and then, on his way back lo the coast from the-Mission station, where he had been recuperating, he had an encounter at close quarters with a ferocious bull hippopotamus (record the Auckland papers). Mr Thomas returned to Auckland by the Marama, with Mr J. Holmes, leader of the party'of three sportsmen who made the trip. The third member of the party, ,Mr A. Mackinnon, of Auckland, returned through Wellington. Mr Thomas's encounter with the wounded buffalo wag an unenviable- experience. "We had just entered the Mwamba Vallev, one of the finest game districts in the whole of Africa," Mr Thomas Said. "One morning Mackinnon and myself left camp together, to follow the trail of an elephant. For a while wo tramped through typical African bush country, fairly open, with our gun-boys and native trackers, and suddenly came upon two buffalo bulls. They were fine animals, and'the opporJ tunity was too good to miss. One shot killed one bull; but the other was only wounded, and we started to track him to finish him off.

ATTACKED BY BUFFALO

"We followed his tracks for about two hours. Traces of blood here and there showed us that he had been hit; but the African buffalo is a fierce animal, with a considerable amount of cunning, and this particular fellow was no exception to the rule, He deliberately ambushed us. "Mackinnon had branched off to have a look at tho country from the top of an ant hill, and I happened to be nearest to the trackers. Suddenly as they approached a fallen tree, the buffalo sprang up, and came at us at closo quarters. The trackers had almost walked on top of him. They dashed in all directions; but their presence in front of me delayed me a bit, and I could only get one shot at the infuriated beast. We discovered afterwards that this hit him on the top of the head, serving only to make his more fierce. Then the buffalo made for me. I ran for a tree; but he was wonderfully quick, and he bustled me away from any cover for which I made. He made on vicious lunge, and struck me a glancing blow on one side, ripping iny clothing; and then, before I could get clear, he lifted mo right off the ground by one leg. I managed to hang on to his horns; but while I was on his back Mackinnon could not shoot for fear of hitting me. Finally, the beast shook me off, and as I lay on the ground I felt his huge chest pin me down. Then I heard a rifle bark, and saw blood spurt from the beast's shoulder. Mackinnon had had to take careful aim; but his shot made- the buffalo straighten up, and' I .was able.to crawl clear. • , '•t' ; ':S i ■'.'. : ' '" ; " ; "■'• ■•'

"Mackinnon fired again, hitting the beast in the face. By this time, I had managed to pick up my rifle, and with a couple of shots'.! finished him off.", SERIOUS WOUND. IN THE THIGH

With the danger removed, an inspection was made of Mr Thomas's injuries, and it was found that he had been seriously gored in one thigh. Great care has to be taken with any wounds in Tropical Africa, and Mr Mackinnon and several native bearers took him 20 miles to the Lubwa Mission station. "I am quite recovered now," Mr Thomas said. "Everything possible was done for me at the Mission station ; but I have reason to be thankful for the rest of my days for that shot of Mackinnon's that got my friend, the buffalo, in the shoulder." The three sportsmen left New Zealand last May, and from Durban travelled to the Belgian Congo. During the first part of their trip, they were accompanied by Mrs Thomas and Mrs H. Williams, Mr Thomas's sister. When the women were left behind, the arduous travelling commenced, whole days being spent in the navigation of rivers in native canoes. They spent some time on the Chambezi river, in Northern Rhodesia, obtaining good hunting all the way, and shooting a variety of game, including buck of several species, warthog, and python. Then the canoes were left behind, and the three hunters organised what is known in the district as a "ulendo," which is tantamount to the "safari" in other parts of Africa. From different •villages, they recruited their 52 bearers and gun-boys. No trouble was experienced, the natives being only too willing to accompany white hunters for 10s a month each, and tho prospect of obtaining plenty of meat, which they could dry and take back .to the villages. "No one need have any qualms about shooting game in Africa," Mr. Thomas said. "Alter a beast is killed, the natives see that only the bones are left." The party travelled through the bush to tho Mwamba Valley, which is second only to the Luangua Valley as a, district for big'game. The latter district, however, was closed owing to sleeping sickness. Mr Thomas had his encounter with the buffalo comparatively early in their stay in the valley; but after he had been taken to Lubwa his two companions stayed on for'about four weeks, enjoying exceptionally good hunting.

ESCAPE FROM ELEPHANTS

Mr Mackinnon obtained two fine elephants, and Mr Holmes had a few exciting minutes when he fired at and wounded a bull elephant, and was attacked by five cows. The promptness of his gun-boys enabled him to escape. "One of my most interesting trophies was a three-horned rhinoceros," Mr Holmes said. "The rhinoceros generally has only two horns, and I know of only two other three-horned heads in existence, both in England. "Lions abound in the Mwamba district; but owing to the good cover afforded by the tall grass they are yery hard to kill. We spent several days after lions; but I am afraid the lions had all the fun. One night Mackinnon and I set a couple of buck carcases as bait, and took up our position in a tree. During the night we heard sceral lions moving about, and fired several shots.

lu the morning we . climbed clown cramped and tired, but found that we hud placed tho bait too far away. Wo had expected to see two or three lions lying dead, but wc were sadly disappointed." HIPPOPOTAMUS CHARGES CANOE

After his period of convalescence at the Mission station, Mr Thomas had to travel back down the Chambezi river on his way to the coast. One day as the canoe was travelling along a peaceful stretch of river a hippopotamus charged the canoe from beneath. "Tho natives were nearly off their heads," Mr Thomas said. "Mfuva bwana, mfuva," they shouted, thinking that I had not seen the beast, coming for us. Wc managed to steer the canoe clear, and I was able to put a bullet into him."

Both Mr Holmes and Mr Thomas arc 'enthusiastic over the results of their trip. Altogether they obtained 21 distinct varieties of game, and Mr Holmes obtained the few specimens needed to complete what is probably the finest collection of big game trophies in New Zealand.