Big Game Shooting, volume 1 (of 2)Phillipps-Wolley, Clive
General
Big Game Shooting, volume 1 (of 2)
Phillipps-Wolley, Clive
Game and game-birds; Hunting
beware and hold straight now if ever, for down comes the wounded bull,
and nothing but death or a disabling shot will stop him. I have seen
one with entirely paralysed hind-quarters attempt to carry out his
rush to the bitter end by dragging himself along with his forefeet.
His pluck is splendid; no single lion will face him, though, attacked
by stealth or numbers, he occasionally falls a prey. Once I went out
in one direction and Murray in another to shoot elands for fat to make
candles--we carried wicks and tin moulds amongst our stores. I turned
homewards early to throw off my load, and within a mile or two of the
waggons put up six lions on a flat surrounded by bush; in riding after
them for a shot I drove up a couple more, so I had a ‘flock’ of eight
before me. Pressing them, the hindmost, a fine black-maned fellow, who
seemed willing to sacrifice himself for his friends and relations,
turned on me, thus giving the others time to continue their retreat.
Twice I dismounted to shoot him, but before I could get the chance I
wanted, I was obliged to remount, for the whole of his companions,
seeing their rearguard cut off and in difficulties, bore down upon me.
One was all very well, but I felt I was not the man for the eight; they
were not very far from bush when I first saw them, and before I could
get upon anything I thought equal terms they reached cover without a
shot.
I found Murray already in camp. He had come upon an ostrich’s nest, and
making his after-rider take off his trousers and tie up the bottoms,
he had carefully packed the eggs in them, put them across a horse,
and, with heart set on omelet, had returned to the cookery pots.
Unfortunately, he had not broken an egg, but taken them in faith, and
they all contained young birds, which the Kafirs were joyfully stirring
round in our big baking-pot preparatory to a feast when I appeared
on the scene. My readers may naturally say, ‘What has eland fat and
ostrich eggs to do with the courage of buffaloes?’ Well, these are
just the incidents of daily camp life, which have brought up another
recollection illustrative of my point.
[Illustration: Death of Superior]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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