Diary Page

February 1910

Tuesday, February 1st, 1910.

Went out early and crossed the river to visit by request an outlying chief. We did a long hunt and came back along the river to Kifuka, having seen nothing. Had the Chief down to call - full of business! Heard last night letter from Toro - first election results.

Wednesday, February 2nd, 1910.

Went out down the main road, struck a trail one hour out of a big elephant - followed on for 5 hours, when a heavy storm came on - spoilt spoor, so we had a very long tramp back to camp wet through and for nothing. Did a bit of repacking, also got tusks fastened on to poles, ready for sending into Irumu en route to Toro.

Thursday, February 3rd, 1910.

Went down early by the river and wasted the day as there is never anything on that side - no feed worth anything. Decided to move off tomorrow.

Wrote to: Cp. Wilson. Almeda. Van Marcke. Hilda Willoughby. Milly Collin. C. Bulpitt. Bertie Stern. Archie Butler. Mrs. Colliston.

Friday, February 4th, 1910.

Left Kifuka at 6 o'clock - said goodbye to the Sultan - our new host passed us on the road - thick forest all the way. No hat required. Saw lots of fresh elephant spoor. Nice rest house here - Cambi-Mambutti. Lots of food. Got in at one o'clock. Sent 2 tusks and white box and letters to Irumu.

4 ½ Hours - Cambi-Mambutti.

Saturday, February 5th, 1910.

Went out early to see what this place offered in the way of sport - found no spoor at all and returned early. Got some of the little people to go hunting & took some photos of camp & two of them. Find plenty of the Cape gooseberries here and a few tomatoes. Bought 180 lbs. rice.

Sunday, February 6th, 1910.

Left Cambi-M. at 6 o'clock accompanied by our next host. Found it a good long march, off the main road but a nice clean fresh cut path. Saw nothing on the way - camped out in the forest at Aberumba as no shelters in villages. Several very large shambar, and plenty of food.

6 hours

Monday, February 7th, 1910.

Went out with chief's son and 2 pygmies - first got on an elephant which, getting our wind in thick stuff, took to flight. Followed up for some time but no use. About 9.30 we got on to a herd of elephant in some mile of old shambas. Never in my life have I been in such stuff - it was perfectly hopeless. I kept getting up to them but could not see a hand before one. Decided to give up & try to push them out - moved several short distances and then suddenly I came face to face with a big chap about 12 yards off. I could only see half

of the top of his head. Afraid of being among cows I waited. Just as he began to get suspicious and swing his head preparatory to a move, I caught sight of some fine ivory. I had to take a front forehead shot, not one I like, but brought him down. Except for a few plunges to try and get up he soon died. Gave him a finisher with 350. I never saw the boys all so delighted at prospect of lots of meat. I was quite thankful to get out of that awful jungle. No one can imagine what such a place is like, and one hardly has a ghost of a chance. We got back to camp at 2 o'clock, dead tired. Went up later to a dance at the big shamba - took a lot of photos.

1 elephant. 7ft. - 16 ½" - 70 lbs.

Tuesday, February 8th, 1910.

All the crowd of course went after tembo meat. Went off with one Mackenzie and soon struck fresh spoor. Got up to several in thick stuff when my gun boy clinked cartridges - stampede resulted! Twice again we got up to single beasts and my boys tumed tail and ran. Seemed to be a day of bad luck. Returning home very late, I saw on edge of a small stream a big striped deer like a huge bush-buck. Only just time to seize a heavy rifle and have a snap shot as he went into thick bush, but

I rolled him over at 120 yards. I began to think I had shot a bongo and rushed up, but alas, though lots of blood, the beast had vanished. Expect solid bullet had gone clean through. We spoored for some way and once came nearly on it laying down. Later blood stopped and in the dry leaves it became hopeless. We cast and recast on the faint hope of finding it dead, and at last, getting so late, I had sadly to leave it. How I longed to have had my pygmy friends along. Intend returning in morning: I cannot help thinking the animal was really a bongo, as I know of nothing else so big and red with white stripes. This has really been a day of bad luck all through.

1 Bongo ? 18 long - 11" spread - 8 ¼ circumference.

Wednesday, February 9th, 1910.

Made an early start - on getting near heard sounds of revelry - I began to get uneasy. Sure enough found a troop of Mackenzies had hunted round after we left and found my lovely trophy just dying. Worse than this they had just scalped his horns and taken the chief of the body skin; all the rest cut up and a great deal eaten! Heartbreaking luck if a bongo! Murdered a small elephant by taking notice of my boys. Three of them nearly ran down all my crowd of gun boys. Letters came in by pygmy bearer.

Letters:

(c/o Mr.W. Lang. Neboga.J. Ebbley.) Hausing. Almeda. J.Van Marcke. Comd. Wackey. Lady Glover, 2. Mrs. Wrohan. Alys. Mary and Lily. Wills. A.B. Duers.

1 elephant. 3ft.4in. x 9 ½" = 20 lbs. the pair!!

Thursday, February 10th, 1910.

Had a long tramp all round - did 6 hours but saw nothing. Bought a lot of Pygmy bows and arrows.

Friday, February 11th, 1910.

Up at 4.30. Chief found us 4 porters and we did our long march of 6 hours back to Cambi-Mambutti. Lots of Cape gooseberries and posso here - busy writing letters for sending to Irumu tomorrow.

6 hours.

Wrote to:

J. Featherton. R.J. Dean. Mrs. Wrohan. Miss Litchfield. George Banks. Mrs. Bowers. Hausing & Sons. M. Moses. B. Fowler. Phyllis Heath. St. Montu Nainbi. Almeda. Cp. Wilson.

Saturday, February 12th, 1910.

Started away at daylight - saw several fresh spoors - just after resting about half way, I had started off again, boys all talking & porters close on to us, when suddenly an appalling crash took place - at first I thought it was a tree, but the noise went on and then I said elephant. By this time we could hear it quite plainly. I seized a rifle and ran along the path, and 50 yards in saw him feeding. Going in alone I saw splendid tusks and quickly shot him. Best one this trip - 110 lbs. each. I took a lot of photos and we camped near all day. Got tusks out - weighed and cleaned. Loaded boys up with meat. Was pitch dark when we got home. Had a long day. Found runner in with letters and papers.

1 elephant. 7ft.8in. × 19-3/8 = 110 lbs.

1 tusk Mackenzie - 5ft.2in. x 16 = weight 36 lbs.

Sunday, February 13th, 1910.

Had a short morning's hunt over the river but saw nothing. Sent my post boys off to Irum. Busy mending and repacking - reading papers.

Letters from: Betty Ivel. Wills - rents. York Bank. Lady Glover. Lady Mowbray. Delmage. Cp. Wilson. Rita Bisgood. Bassett. Almeda. Dr. Johnson.

African St. Jan.22 & 29.

Daily Mail - Dec.17 to Jan.6.

Morning Post - Jan.2. to 6.

Monday, February 14th, 1910.

Had a horribly long weary day. Got on spoor about 7 a.m. and followed straight away from home till after 12, when I saw the boys were beginning to get uneasy, so we had to chuck it - did not get in till nearly 2.30 - awfully hot and very tired. Boys came in with two weeks papers, also 3 or 4 local letters. Got ready to run into Irum in the morning to say goodbye, taking along my last two big 110 lbs. tusks.

Tuesday, February 15th, 1910.

Left Kifuku before daylight. Had a hot march into Irum. Every village petitioned us to stop & shoot elephant. Found Com. Sorensen at home - lunch and dined with him. Brought in the 2 big tusks, also skin, tin box and one venesta.

5 hours to Irumu.

Wednesday, February 16th, 1910.

Got up at 3 o'clock and was away in the dark - marched quickly and got through to Kifuku in less than 5 hours. Went up to call on Lamboorah. Wrote a lot of letters ready for last mail.

Thursday, February 17th, 1910.

Up at usual time. Went down river to see our little Walesse friends. Crossed river in their dugout and went some way along the Matone road. Rested at a village and hunted back to the boat in a circle. Saw nothing. Got back to camp at 1.30 - tired and hot. Boys returned loaded up with food from outside villages.

Friday, February 18th, 1910.

Moved out about 2 hours towards Cambi and took camp and food with 20 boys - left them to fix up camp, and we went off to hunt with two Mackenzie guides. Only just got well started when our guide said buffalo. I ran forward and saw a bit of a red skinned animal standing in thick bush. I fired and heard a groan, when suddenly away rushed a red pig. Could not find it at the time but in afternoon our boys went back and found it dead - being a solid bullet went clean through. Went on and got among a lot of elephant all scattered. Made a dreadful bungle in some thick stuff and shot a cow stone dead. Rushed away so that our guides never saw. Coming home we kept running into elephant on all sides, and unfortunately one charged down on Gimgoga and myself, and I only shot her 3 feet off me. A lucky escape but cruel luck.

1 Red Pig

2 accidents.

Saturday, February 19th, 1910.

Started out to hunt the opposite side of road. About two hours and we heard a buffalo feeding close by. I stopped all & crept on hands and knees for some distence. Luckily ground favoured one a bit, not being too thick. At last I could just see his tail flicking among some thick bush. Slowly standing up I waited till he moved, and then rather guessing for my shot fired. He went down on his head and I gave him a second barrel. Bad luck found both horns broken close off years ago and rubbed down quite flat. However, I am preserving the scalp and of course the meat is welcome to everybody. Lamboorah sent in, and 10 of our porters came along. Camp is a regular meeting place for all the countryside soon as they hear a shot. Had a thunder storm in afternoon.

1 Buffalo.

Wrote to:

Mrs. Ennis. Delmage. F.G.Jackson. Lily. wills. Nat.Bank of India, Entebbe. Vio Darling. Broadley. Rita Bisgood. Nat.Bank, Mombasa. Betty Ivel. Cp. Wilson. Martin and paper to Aden. Van Marcke - about Rokie. W. Bethell.

Cards to:

Mrs. Bassett. Maxwell. Osborne. Burton. Carvey.

Sunday, February 20th, 1910.

Started early and sent all camp back to Kifuku. Had awful luck - spoored 3 hours a single track - got up to it - fine tusks - it was standing facing me in very thick stuff about 8 or 10 yds off. I could not get a fair sight, and fearing he would go I foolishly fired at his forehead - evidently too high - followed 2 hours - never saw him again. Sent letters into Irum. Got home awfully tired and disappointed at 2 o'clock.

Monday, February 21st, 1910.

Took an hour extra in bed so as to wait Mackenzies' news. Heard of elephant in shamba across river & followed it for about 2 hours. Crossed river, but luckily we found some fishing boats so got over also. Very soon came up with the beast and quickly finished him off. Was very disappointed - ivory looked quite nice, it was such a huge beast, and when down I doubt very much if it will pass entry weight - awful bad luck if it is so. Got a lot of letters unexpectedly. Heard also of Jack Wilson's return for Holdeness. Comd. Sorrensa writes the Count de Turin is due on 25th.

1 elephant. 4ft.8in. × 18, weight 80 lbs.

Letters from:

Mary. Lily. Wills (2) Lady Glover. Lady Donegall. Almeda. Hausing. Newland & Gonther.

Tuesday, February 22nd, 1910.

Went out towards the ferry and got pygmies from the shemba - took a long round but saw nothing. Got home about 12.30. Went up to see Lamboorah. Arranged about getting some porters.

Wednesday, February 23rd, 1910.

Left Kifuku at 9 after the usual bickerings to get 12 porters - I gave old man case of whiskey and £8 for the big tusk, also £3 present and Cambi £2. Reached Matone about 1 o'clock, and while at lunch boy came in saying he had left big elephant feeding in shamba. Went off and bagged in very thick stuff a middling size tusker.

1 elephant. 5ft.8in. x 13 ½) Weight 33 lbs. each.

5ft.6in. x 13-3/8)

Thursday, February 24th, 1910.

Started out hunting but met soldier who said the Commandant was coming along so I returned to await him. He stopped half an hour and had some lemonade. I then went out and had a long round - saw nothing. Tusks came in - only just turn the weight limit. Sent 2 knives and 2 bottles of liqueur on to the Commandant.

Friday, February 25th, 1910.

Had a wet morning so could do nothing. Sent out to get 10 porters and made a start at 2 o'clock. Did about 3 hours & camped on Loya river at 5 o'clock.

3 Hours - Loya River.

Saturday, February 26th, 1910.

Started off about 6 o'clock and did 5 ½ hours. Crossed the Loya river twice & several small streams. Camped about 2 o'clock on the Mahanga. Only saw one buffalo. Not a single fresh spoor of elephant, in fact no spoor at all.

5 ½ Hours - Mahanga River.

Sunday, February 27th, 1910.

Got off at 6 o'clock. crossed the Mahanga, and 2 hours brought us to an old hunting camp from Lassu. I left about 8 loads there and then treked on. The chief came down to meet us on edge of forest - said all elephant were close to the hill now, so we moved up to our camp in village. Paid off our 10 Matoni porters.

4 hours - Lassu.

Monday, February 28th, 1910.

Sent 2 porters into Kuise with letters and to bring out papers. Went out early under the hill. Soon got up to an elephant which we bungled horribly - my boy ran on to it & bolted - scared the beast & though we followed for 6 hours never came up again. On the way I shot a red buffalo. Got back to camp at 3.30 - dead tired. Boys came up from forest camp. Paid off Matoni boys.

1 buffalo.

Wrote to:

Mrs. Graham Menzies. Lady Mowbray. Mrs. Whitehead. Jack Wilson. Mr. Almeda. Cp. Wilson. Mr. Van Marcke. A.B.Duers.