BIG GAME HUNTING

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21199, 3 December 1930, Page 7

BIG GAME HUNTING

DANGERS OF AFRICAN JUNGLE. CHASED BY WOUNDED BUFFALO. THREE NEW ZEALANDERS ABROAD. (Special to Daily Times.) ... AUCKLAND, December 2. IhnUs sufficient to last most people a life-time fell to 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 to the coast from the mission station where he had been recuperating he had an encounter at close - quarters with a ferocious bull hippopotamus. Mr Thomas returned to Auckland by the Marama. ■with Mr J. Holmee. leader of the party rnt sportsmen who made the trip. The third member, Mr A. Macfcinnon. of Auckland, returned through Wellington. •Mr Thomas’s encounter with the wounded buffalo was an unenviable experience. “We had just entered the Mwamba Valley, one of the finest gams districts in the whole of Africa,” he said. One morning Mr Mackinnon and mystelf left the camp together to follow the trail an e^e phant. For a while we tramped through typical African bush country, fairly open, with onr gun boys and native trackers. Suddenly we came. upon two buffalo bulls. They were fine animals, and the opportunity was too good to miss. Ope shot killed one bull, but the other was only wounded, and we started to track him to finish him off. . 'We followed his track for about two hours, traces of blood here and there ®£°wing ns 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 tut o £V e ‘, • Ne deliberately ambushed us. Mr Mackinnon had branched off to hare a * v-i?* COUT, fry from the top of an p n it' ■ and I happened to be nearest to the trackera. Suddenly, as they approached a fallen tree the buffalo sprang up and came at us at close quarters. The almost walked on top of him. .-they dashed in all 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 top of the head, serving only to make him more fierce.

Then the buffalo made for me. I tan'for a tree, but he was wonderfully quick, and he bustled me away from any cover for which I made. He made one vicious lunge and struck me a glancing blow on the side, ripping my clothing, and then before I could gdt clear he Jutted me right off the ground by one leg. I managed to hang on to his horns, but while I was on his back Mr Mackinnon could not shoot for fear of hitting me. Finally, the beast shook me off, and as I -ay on the ground I felt his huge chest pin me down. Then I heard a rifle bark and saw blood snort from the beast's shoulder. Mr Mackinnon had to take careful aim, but his shot made the buffalo straighten up, and I was able to crawl clear. Mr Mackinnon fired again, hitting the beast in the face. By this time 1 had managed to pick up a rifle, and of shots 1 finished him off.” AVitn the danger removed ah inspection was made of Mr Thomas’s injuries, and it was found that he had been seriously gored in the thigh. Great care has to be taken with any wounds in tropical Africa, and Mr Macfcinnon 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 Mr Mackinnon's that got my the buffalo in the shoulder." i'’T h f,r three sportsmen' left New Zealand last May and from Durban travelled to Goi 3 go ‘ during the first part to.'P; they, were accompanied by Mrs- Thomas .and : Mrs H. Williams, Mr ihomas s sister. When the ladies were lezt behind the arduous travelling comn.ce°’. whole days being spent in the navigation of. rivers in native canoes, iney spent some time on the Chamhezi Kiver, obtaining good hunting all the way, and shooting a variety of game, including buck of several species, wart it*’ u D u • Portion. Then the canoes were behind apd the three hunters organieed what is known in the district as a ulendo, 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 the white hunters fo r 10s a month each and the prospect of obtaining plenty of meat which they could dry and take hack to . their villages. ‘ Np one need have any qualms about shooting game in Africa,” M r Thomas sain. After a beast is killed the natives see that only the bones are left.” The party travelled through the bush to the Mwamba valley, which is second only to the Luangua Valley as a district for big P. ame - The latter district, however, was closed owing to sleeping sickness. ’ Mr Thomas had his encounter with the buffalo comparatively early during 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. Mr Mackinnon obtamed 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 Jus 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 aard to kill. We spent several days after lions, but I am afraid the lions had all the fun. One night Mr Mackinnon and X .’set a couple of buck carcasses as bait and took up our positions in a tree. During the night we heard several Hons moving about and fired several shots. In the morning we climbed down, cramped and tired, but found that we had placed the bait too far away. We had expected to see two or three lions lying dead, but we were sadly disappointed.” 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 huge bull hippopotamus charged the canoe from beneath. "The natives were nearly off their heads," Mr Thomas said, Mfuva bwana mfuva,’ they shouted, 1 thinking that I had not seen the beast coming for us. We managed to steer the canoe clear, and I was able to put a bullet into him.”

Both Mr Holmes and Mr Thomas are 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.

—lt costs almost, as much to feed a baby as an adult in New York city, one expert stating that an increase of £l4O in the family income is necessary to provide for each addition.