PRINCE OF WALES

Stratford Evening Post, Issue 43, 24 April 1930, Page 6

PRINCE OF WALES

AFTER THE BIG GAME EXCITING ELEPHANT CHASE ILL-LUCK AT~LAST MOMENT. On his first expedition in the bush in South Africa after big game, tho Pnncc 0 f Wales experienced a si oKo oi: misfortune. After covering■ i.ea •> So miles on loot through the tu ke.t imaginable country in gruelling Ltat, h e lost at the vital moment Is chau ,e of "bagging" a fine bull cieV In 'relating the Prince's adventure, Captain D. G. Finch-Hatton, the celebrated hunter, who accompanied him, declared, "It was the cruellest luck. It was one of the most splendid elephants 1 have ever seen. Its tusks must have weighed about 1001 b each. "When the train in which the Prince left Mombassa arrived at Mangu on the morning oC February 12, the party proceeded in the direction of kasigua Hill 20 miles to the south. It is customary at this seaon of the year for elephants to 'assemble there on their way north for water, which is usually lacking in their southern haunts on the Tanganyika border. Exceptional rains recently, however enabled the animals to obtain water without travelling north. In 'consequence of this no tracks were picked up. "After sleeping out that night the party returned to the train and proceeded to Maktau, which was reached on February 11. On the same afternoon the tracks of a big bull elephant were picked up. For the rest, or trie day until the evening of the noxjt day the Prince ana his party followed the tracks on foot. Toward sunset they came up with the great beast, which was feeding in the thick bush. "While the Prince and his fellowhunters were trying to obtain a good position for a shot, the elephant made a big circle and got on the lee-side of the porters, who had halted some distance back on his tracks. At that moment the Prince was within 10 yards of the elephant and almost at the point where he could shoot. When the elephant got the porters' scent, however, lie crashed away through .the bush, and the hard-sought opportunity was lost. "The Prince expressed the ' keenest desire to follow the elephant if then l was any hope of coming up with him again! lie remarked that no no'* realised why many hunters had told him that elephant hunting was Africa's finest sport. We therefore, continued for another day ami a-half before the chase was finally abandoned. During all this time Hie royal party had been travelling in the lightest possible way. We did all our own cooking, and only took enough porters for carrying water, food, and two ">olb tents. "After abandoning the hunt of the elephant, the parly returned to Haitian, where the news was received that on the previous day a good elephant had been seen by scouts m Uie Kusigna area.. Still using the train as a base. the parly proceeded to this district! Again starting out with a light safari, the tracks of the elephant were picked up and followed for a <\uy and a-halP, hut he proved a ' traveller',' and so. the chase had to be given up, "It. was the worst bit of luck that ']' have experienced in tho whole of irhunting career, and it. came at the worst possible time.''