BIG GAME HUNT.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20455, 7 November 1934, Page 15

BIG GAME HUNT.

Forest Officer Mauled by Tiger. SYDNEY MAN’S EXPERIENCE. To see his companion badly mauled by a wounded tiger was one of the recent experiences of Captain J. Patrick, governing director of the Patrick Steamship Line and director of a number of other Australian companies.

Leaving Sydney a year ago, Captain Patrick, who is accompanied by his wife, first went to India, where he spent two months hunting tigers, leopards and panthers. It was in the Melghat Ranges, Central Province, that he bagged two tigers, and where he saw a forest officer, a Mr. Maitland, who was accompanying him, mauled by a tiger. “I had got my tiger and Mr. Maitland, who is an officer with long experience, had wounded his,” said Captain Patrick. “Mr Maitland followed his animal into the lantana, or scrub, and was about to finish it off when it sprang at him. He fired again and killed the beast, but the impetus of its spring carried it on top of him, and as it landed it crunched its jaws on him just below the waist. Mr. Maitland was undoubtedly saved by the Sam Browne belt that lie was wearing, the leather being bitten cleanly through. VYe rushed Mr. Maitland into the nearest hospital, and the doctors saved liis life, although it was five weeks before he was about again.” “Every House a Fort.” Forgetting his big game hunting for a time, Captain Patrick went to the Afghan frontier, where he spent a week in a fort held by the Tochi Scouts, Pathan warriors under the command of British officers, whose duty it is to keep order on the frontier. On the frontier, according to Captain Patrick, every house is a fort and every tribesman carries a rifle, which he does not hesitate to use. Before going on to Africa the captain and his wife visited a number of the main cities in India. During four months spent in Kenya Colony and Uganda, Captain Patrick took SOOOft of film, chiefly of wild animal life, securing \many excellent pictures of a wide variety of animals from elephants to Thompsons gazelle, or Tommies, as they are familiarly known. In four weeks he saw 46 lion 3, most of which he photographed. “We did not shoot anything that would wait to be photographed,” said Captain Patrick. “One * bad ’ lion, a magnificent specimen, that I shot charged twice before he was killed. He was making liis charge when I got my second shot, and he fell dead about 15 yards from Rare Antelope Secured. In order to add a greater kudu, one of the rarest types of antelopes in East Africa, to hi 3 already fine collection of trophies, Captain Patrick made one of the most arduous trips he has ever made when game hunting. First he and his expedition had to travel 300 miles by car and motor truck, and then they had to secure camel transport for a three days’ trek across a desert to the Kulal Mountains, near Lake Rudolph, where two explorers were loift recently. During five days spent on the mountain tops, 0000 ft above sea level, the party slept in the open. “I was successful in securing a fine bull which, according to Roland and Ward’s list of records', is the third best specimen of its kind in the world,” said Captain Patrick. “The trip meant a. lot of hard work, but to get a greater kudu in these days is worth something. Yes, Mrs. Patrick accompanied me wherever I went,” lie said in answer to a question. From Nairobi Captain and Mrs. Patrick flew to the head of the Nile, and then to Khartoum and Cairo. From Palestine they travelled through Syria to Turkey. The impression that the captain gained in Turkey was that the Turks were not over-friendly to the Empire. In Rumania he visited the oil wells and was informed that the Government would not allow the pipe lines to be constructed- through to the coast, as the transport of the oil represented a big proportion of the earnings of the State railways. Unrest in the Balkans. “The feeling of the peoples of the Balkan States appears very friendly towards England, but they are very jealous among themselves, and I cannot see any solving of the Balkan problem at present,” he said. “The conditions on some of the frontiers were reminiscent of war time.” In Venice, CUptain Patrick witnessed several of the leaders. In speaking with a number of the younger men lie was impressed by their enthusiasm for their leader and for Italy. 111 Germany he found the people with a friendly disposition towards Britain, and "all for Hitler.” After visiting Holland. Captain Patrick went to London, where he purchased a 4000-ton steamer for the Brisbane-Sydney-Melbourne service. This was the real object of hits trip. A Scotsman bv birth, he spent some time grouse shooting in his native country. On his return trip to Australia he visited Canada, where lie secured more film of animal life in the vast Canadian In Sydney, Captain Patrick is widely known, for, in addition to his numerous business activities, he is president of the Highland Society and president of the Millions Ski Club.