SEARCH FOR IVORY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20646, 19 August 1930, Page 13

SEARCH FOR IVORY.

THROUGH AFRICAN JUNGLES. TRADER'S ADVENTURES. LEFT FOR DEAD BY BUFFALO. After having spent 30 years in tropical Africa, Mr. l'\ 11. Clark arrived in Sydney the other day on holiday. During his first 10 years in Africa lie was an ivory dealer, and faced death on many of his journeys through the dense jungles. Although the country teemed with game, said Mr. Clark, and several of his men were killed bv lions he remained untouched until quite recently, when he was attacked by a buffalo. Ife was deserted by his only companion at the time, a gun-bearer, who ran lo a tree, where, safo in the branches, ho watched his master tossed twice in the air and stamped upon. When the animal was satisfied that lie was dead it left him, and the gun-bearer was able to summon the porters, who had been left in camp. Mr. Clark was carried 80 miles to an outpost, where he spent five months in bod. On another occasion one of his porters was seized by a party of Wambuti pigmies, who were searching for a meal. When the native was found again there was nothing but a few bones and his arms. Mr. Clark said that the old system of trading with goods carried by porters had practically died out. As early as 1910 a boundary commission was appointed by the British ami Belgian Governments to fix the boundaries between their colonies. At the same limn they laid down laws about ivory trading, which generally was declared illegal. Illicit trading was eliminated, and the traders had to seek other activities. After trading for sonic years, Mr. Clark said, he was appointed a warden to preserve tho game in Kenya Colony. Beyond its borders, where shooting was allowed, lions and other large animals had become scarce. Much damage was dmio to settlers' stock by the animals, and this had created an interesting situation. As tho game drew numbers of wealthy tourists thd settlers benefited, so they were torn between a desire to protect wild life and to destroy it. The animal to be feared most was the rhinoceros. Nobody could tell what it would do from one moment lo tho next. The beast would charge men, fires, and tents without discrimination, and travellers were as likely to find it rushing through their camp by night as by day. Mr. Clark said that the post of game warden was not an arduous one now and his charges were in little danger of dying out. Public opinion did not Favour wanton killing for a huge haul of trophies, and many sportsmen satisfied themselves with securing photographs of game at close range, reserving their rifles for protection or lo obtain a few specimens. The greatest difficulty was the natives. They could never see why the animals should not bo killed, and hunted them with arrows with impunity.