Diary Page

February 1909

Monday, February 1st, 1909.

Went out early to chop out a small animal out of a tree, but proved a frost - then had 5 hours hunt after gorilla. The Chef de poste gave me some very nice curios.

Tuesday, February 2nd, 1909.

Heard of game a few hours away, so took a few things and left to prospect. After 1 hour on Semiliki road we cut direct into forest for 2 hours - then sent porters on to the Mackenzie village while we did 2 hours more hunting, but saw absolutely nothing. Came across Pygmy village - very hot.

Wednesday, February 3rd, 1909.

Got up late as we had nothing to do - about 8 o'clock a man came in & said a big elephant was not far off and two men were watching it. We went out and found them about 2 hours out. Some buffalo had joined the elephant and were all travelling at a great pace - the men had followed a long way & returned saying it was no good us going further - had about 4 hours out. In afternoon we had a pretty heavy storm - bought several Bandandi curios. This is about the hottest camp I have struck yet.

Thursday, February 4th, 1909.

Up at sunrise & did a short cut to Leese, 2½ hours. Got a specimen of the long tailed anteater or armadillo. About teatime we got our English mail; 3 lots of papers, sent on by Mr. Van Marcke, who sleeps next camp.

Papers posted Dec. 4th, 11th, 18th.

Letters: Kate - 2 for Mongongu.

Friday, February 5th, 1909.

Mr. Van Marcke & Rokie arrived about 11 o'clock - none of our baggage so Osborne started back with 26 porters to fetch it. Had the most awful thunderstorm during dinner - blew up both tents.

Saturday, February 6th, 1909.

Had a real idle day - killing time. Settled to return on our back tracks & visit Porgu & Bungu - so repacked to travel light. Soldier brought in a big animal which I skinned.

Sunday, February 7th, 1909.

Sent off 8 Toro porters with loads to Beni to be paid off. Sent out boys to buy meal & beans over the Semiliki. Skinned another beast - had more rain.

Wrote to:

Mrs. Aspinall.

Bertie Stern.

Lily.

Miriam.

St. M. Nairobi.

Lady Mowbray.

Dean.

B. Fowler.

Monday, February 8th, 1909.

Said goodbye - Rokie and I left at 7.30 and camped in the forest at Undepanga after 4 hours trek. Got some eggs & a chicken. Plenty of food. Got a snake.

4 Hours - 12 Miles.

Tuesday, February 9th, 1909.

Up at 4.30 - going very wet. 2½ hours to the village below the hill where we met Osborne. Sent on the loads to Beni, and 1½ hours reached Marubi. Here we had a warm welcome - bought 4 loads of beans & corn. Got a guide for Porgu, and arranged for the chief to send us down posso each day.

Wednesday, February 10th, 1909.

Found out after getting up early that our guide would not go without leave from head chief O'Peddie, so we had to waste a whole idle day in camp. Rokie went off early and took Zachariah to send back. Got in about 60 loads of food. Very hot but nice wind. A guide arrived and then he & village men said they did not know the roads!

Thursday, February 11th, 1909.

Made a move for Porgu, through thick grass until we got into forest - then after 2 ½ hours camped in a lovely shady spot. Sent 7 porters back to fetch the grain & food we had left behind - they arrived back about 5.30 having seen two elephant.

2 ½ Hours.

Friday, February 12th, 1909.

Started at 6.30 with everybody loaded heavily up. We did about 4 hours - a lot of the going was very bad - over swamps - crossed the small river which marks Uganda & Congo. Saw a troop of colobus monkey. More food followed us down from the old Chief

4 Hours.

Saturday, February 13th, 1909.

Loaded up again very heavily - better going, not so much swamp - only did 3 ½ hours as the men struggled a lot & rested more than they marched - another very rough camping ground - on the site of an old pygmy hut. Passed two rivers again, one the Buna, a fairly large one. Our advance guides met 3 elephant, but stupidly frightened them. Very hot & close. Osborne not well.

3 ½ Hours.

Sunday, February 14th, 1909.

Started early and to our joy after 1 ¾ of an hour we struck the old road - a flour caravan passed who told us they had just left Bunga, so we joyfully started off on what seemed a paradise of a road. Five days trekking through jungle paths & only seeing one monkey gets rather depressing. Another 1 ½ hours brought us to Bunga - a hot small shamba, whose Chief was in Irumu. We paid off our Mambi boys and also our 5 Lesse porters who had certainly carried well and get us out of difficulty by carrying our boys' food. Camp at Bunga.

3 Hours.

Monday, February 15th, 1909.

Went out hunting before daylight and after 4 hours found no fresh spoor of any elephant, our hunters saying they had all gone away after the rains - on return I found Osborne looking pretty bad. Paid off our O'Peddie guide and at 1 o'clock we got a move on - the road was awful - all grown up - full of old elephant holes & half through swamps. After 4 hours we found it getting dusk so found water & camped under the trees - quite a picturesque spot - I felt tired out and really had a good night's rest.

4 Hours.

Tuesday, February 16th, 1909.

Had a thunderstorm & rain just at breakfast which delayed us an hour - when we got off we found the going worse than ever & of course dripping wet. 1½ hours brought us to Marisow and then another 2¾ hours to Kabongo, a nice big shamba. Found the chief expecting us - posso all fit - eggs & chickens. After coffee news came in of elephant. I did a weary 2½ hours but was rather of opinion I was being fooled - no signs.

4 ½ Hours.

Wednesday, February 17th, 1909.

Had a good rest while men went out to see if any game about. Moved away about 12 o'clock. Did about 9 miles in about 3 hours & camped in forest - had a place to clear, so thickly grown up. I ran right on top of two splendid very black leopards playing in the path - off like a shot.

3 Hours.

Thursday, February 18th, 1909.

We only made a short trek today of 2 hours & on reaching Moera decided to stay the night. The Chief seemed a useful man & sent some of his men out hunting, also several of the pygmies. We got a lot of eggs - its a nice village & a good rest house. They killed an okapi here 3 months ago.

2 Hours.

Friday, February 19th, 1909.

Had a long tour round hunting, but found nothing. Started away at 12 o'clock and had a nice forest trek of 2¾ hours, camping at Kiauka. Quite an amusing old chief. Bought a lot of pygmy arrows. Camped on road under the big trees.

2 ¾ Hours.

Saturday, February 20th, 1909.

Started off at 6.30 and 1 hour brought us to Giepangula - here we waited to let a storm go by, then 2 hours 30 mins brought us into Beni - had to pile luggage & get out sheets and shelter for 1½ hours from an awful storm. So glad to find Van Marcke still here - we have a charming house in the old fort. Found 3 weeks' mail. Very nice place this - good view all round - about 158 soldiers. Buenzori quite close but all in mist.

3 ½ Hours.

Letters from England.

Yorkshire Bank. 2 Lily. Mary. Lady Glover. Lady Mowbray. Wills. Miss Litchfield. 2 Kitty Aspinall. Phyllis. Toro P.o. Game Schedule.

St. Martin Nairobi. Mre. Davis. Mrs. W. Burton. Ox. & Cam. Club. Mrs. O. Field. Mrs. Collister. G. Cathcart. Mrs. Wrohan. H. Litchfield. Phyllis. Wills. Toro P.O. Bertie Smith. Kasinde, Chef de Poste. Lily. Rokie. A. Duers. Hausing & Co.

Sunday, February 21st, 1909.

Had a long busy day repacking - also writing letters and exchanging a lot of goods for soldier's cloth. Had a long & late dinner at Mess to celebrate the Cp's raising to be Commandante.

Monday, February 22nd, 1909.

Left at 8 a.m. with 25 fresh porters - all the officers turned out after an early breakfast & escorted me out of the Boma - the Commandante kindly wanted me to have his mule. Another post came in at Wahunga where we camped. Belgian flag hoisted - no more Congo.

Letters from: Up till Jan.14th.

Lily.

Mary.

H. Litchfield. 3¾ hours

George.

Wire from Hausing.

Tuesday, February 23rd, 1909.

Had a very nice trek of 3 hours - lovely road & pretty undulating grass - fresh burnt & scrub thorns. Saw 4 elephant but no good ivory - lots of antelope. Camped at the Mission Station - had a long 3 hours hunt after elephant - just got up to them at dark - about 15 of them, so did not go up close. Nice little river here runs into Semiliki.

Wrote:

H. J. Duers.

H. Litchfield. 3 hours

St. Martin Nairobi.

Hausing & Co.

Wednesday, February 24th, 1909.

I was out at daylight - after sending off our 25 porters and letters to Kasinde went off hunting on the same ground as last night. After 2 hours quick walk we saw some 16 elephant, mostly standing in 2 groups under a few trees. Taking a long turn to get to windward I got up behind scrub to within about 50 yards and then spent ages with the glasses trying to find a big tusker. For over an hour I crept about & was about giving it up - but thought I would take a few photos first of the groups. Later on they began

to move slowly along, yard by yard in their lazy sleepy way when the sun is out. Seeing two rather nice ones I again ran forward and used the glass. I saw that though very short - one was very thick, while the other was quite a respectable size. Hastily getting hold of my rifle I ran out into the open, and as the two were swinging away at about 30 yards I gave one a shot in the head & the other in the side. An awful stampede followed & clouds of dust flew up - Before many yards, however, I saw to my delight my first elephant swing out to the right, a sure sign he was badly hit. Running along I gave him several snap shots & at last tried one at the spine - This crippled him, though he was able to stand up he could hardly use his hind legs to walk. So I then took several photos of the huge fellow at a very near distance. Having gone out very short of cartridges I found myself with only 2 (& old ones) left, so I crept quite close up and luckily finished him off,

with still one cartridge to spare. I found then he was really a very good beast & tonight am anxiously waiting the tusks coming in - they were very ugly ones, only 3 ft. 6 in. out of head but very thick all the way down - 19¼. After a dead photo we made for home, & coming across a fine waterbuck I thought I would try for meat with my heavy rifle. Luckily I made a good long shot & broke his front shoulder - rushing off all the Mackenzies in full cry, after half a mile they ran him down and killed him with assegais. At last I hope my luck has changed. We had a desperate long march of 8 miles to camp, where I skinned the buck head and sent off 10 porters for meat & tusks. Had 4 thunderstorms all round us at once but not a drop reached here - Osborne had a walk round to the west side but saw nothing. In afternoon we had two big lots of elephant reported, but too far & too late. Tusks came in & are beauties, 105 and 88 lbs. Babili ivory - quite a lucky day.

Had more luck as 4 days later the elephant I shot with my second barrel was picked up dead near the river, having only gone a short distance. Luckily the chief sent me in the tusks, a most beautiful pair of 106 & 100 - clean white Ivory and symmetrical. Finest trophy I ever shot. To get a right & left & both over 100 lbs. is great luck.

1 elephant 106

100

1 elephant. 105.lbs. = 7ft.9 ½ in. x 20 inch.

88.lbs. = 6ft.3in.

1 Waterbuck. 27 ½ inch.

1 elephant. 106.lbs. 7ft.9in. x 19 ¾.

100.lbs.

Thursday, February 25th, 1909.

Huge herd of elephant reported close by. Went out and one hour off saw at least 200, all sizes down to little baby ones - a grand sight - feeding in open bush - a black mass. Getting up within about 50 yards of them I could see nothing big enough, so photographed them. At last we had a shot or two but had to follow some way before one fell. Then off again right to the Semiliki when we came up with them. I killed another and spared 2 others, but J.O. had a shot, and as we came back home we ran right on to a beast just dying, evidently the one J.O. had shot at. It is all nice ivory. On my way home I rolled over a little duiker - good meat. Awful storm again.

1 Elephant. C. 21 - 9 ¾ - 5ft.5in.

22

1 Elephant. J.O. 30 - 12 ¼ - 5ft.

29

1 Elephant. 18 - 10 ½ - 3ft.6in.

22 - 11 - 5ft.

1 Duiker

Beni tusk 23 lbs. - 12 ½ - 3ft 6in.

Bomeira. C. 15 lbs.

Friday, February 26th, 1909.

Had a very bad night after my dinner with the Fathers & was quite off food all day - feared fever but luckily none. J.O. killed one elephant about 45 lbs., 1 tusker. I had a good long 6 hour walk to Semiliki despite being ill - saw nothing. Very sick on return - went to bed early.

1 elephant. J.O. - 43 - 17 ¼ - 5ft.2in.

1 bushbuck.

Saturday, February 27th, 1909.

Felt better again but not up to the mark - however, it proved a red letter day! Went out to begin with to the hills on the west - found nothing so started right across the valley towards Semiliki. After 5 hours walk I spotted a nice elephant asleep in small bush. I made a nice stalk on hands & knees and the poor chap just sat down as he slept - quite a nice pair of tusks. Going on another hour we spied a troop of about 14 feeding about 2 miles away. En route we came across another asleep which I stalked close up to, only to find it a nice cow, so I gracefully retired and went off after the troop. Came on them and after half an hour walking, hiding & creeping, all within about 30 yards, I got one down & wounded another - this was a very nice pair of tusks. The wounded one kept the others from going out of a walk & they kept stopping. I had a terrible time crossing a deep gorge full of thorny accacia, and so steep we had to pull each other up.

Only a short distance further I came up to them all standing in a heap - the wind was awkward & changeable & twice I had to change my direction of approach and keep laying low. At last I got within about 30 yards, as there was no cover it was a case of hands and knees. I stood up & waited my chance to pick & place the best. Down went one first barrel, followed by another with the second, both in the head - hastily loading I gave a fine bull two barrels in the side, downing him - then a curious sight followed, all the beasts were rolling about legs up - when the rest of the herd, about 10, walked back like a line of cavalry, looking very ugly, I had to beat a retreat by a few yards. They came up to their fallen comrades and all of them got their tusks under & tried to roll them on to their legs. Unfortunately they succeeded with the last one, & surrounding him they just carried him off. However, my two trophies were grand ones, and I felt very happy. I took some photos of

them and left two men to sleep, sending back 5 porters to join them with food. As it was close to Harime, I decided to move there in the morning. I took some photos of Buenzori, first time it has been clear. I arrived home at 6 after 12 hours walking hard without a sit down - we were all fairly done. Osborne had only shot a waterbuck.

1 elephant. 42 lbs. 16 5ft.10in.

15 ½ 5ft.8in.

2 " 52 17 6ft.

51

3 " 82 18 ¼ 7ft.5in.

78 17 ½

4 " 80 17 ½ 7ft.5in.

74 17 ¼

1 waterbuck.

Sunday, February 28th, 1909.

Got off early with most of my loads. I went across to the 2 dead elephant and saw them get 2 tusks out, then brought them along and crossed the Semiliki to our camp at Karimi which is exactly on the equator. Boys very slow only got out four tusks. J.O. not arrived.

Letters:

G. Cathcart.

Lady Glover.

Wills.

Lily.

B.Fowler.

Bertie Stern.

Mrs.Collieter.

Mrs.Wrohan.

Phyllis.

D. Rokie.