I thought some of you might be interested in reading a few lines about elephant hunting around 1840.

This is from a book by R. Gordon-Cumming, called A HUNTER'S LIFE. (ISBN # 0 86920 211 I) for those who might be interested in purchasing it.

Gordon was a big man. Over 6 feet tall and weighing around 200 pounds. He became known as THE LION HUNTER.

Here he relates the story of an elephant hunt, during an extensive bush fire.

��.Here we remained for about half an hour, when one of the men returned, reporting that he had discovered elephants. This I could scarcely credit, for I fancy that the extensive fire which raged so fearfully must have driven, not only elephants, but every living creature out of the district. The native, however, pointed to his eye, repeating the word �Klow�, and signed me to follow him. My guide led me about a mile through dense forest, when we reached a little well wooded hill, to whose summit we ascended, whence a view might be obtained of the surrounding country. Had not volumes of smoke obscured the scenery far and wide,, as though issuing from the funnels of a thousands steamboats. Here, to my astonishment, my guide halted, and pointed to the thick close beneath me, when I instantly perceived the colossal backs of a herd of bull elephants.

There they stood quietly browsing on the lee side of the hill, while the fire in it might was raging to windward within 200 yards of them.

I directed Johannus to choose an elephant, and promised to reward him should he prove successful. Galloping furiously down the hill, I startled the elephants with an unearthly yell, and instantly selected the finest in the herd.

Placing myself alongside, I fired both barrels behind his shoulder, when he instantly turned upon me, and in his impetus career charged head foremost against a large bushy tree which he sent flying before him high into the air with tremendous force, coming down at the same moment violently on his knees.

He then met the raging fire, when, altering his course, he wheeled to the right-about. As I gallop-ed after him, I perceived another noble elephant meeting us in an opposite direction, and presently the gallant Johannus hove in sight, following his quarry at a respectable distance. Both elephants held on together, so I shouted to Johannus, �I will give your elephant a shot in the shoulder, and you must try to finish him.�

Spurring my horse, I rode close alongside, and gave the fresh elephant two balls immediately behind the shoulder, when he parted from mine, Johannus following. But before many minutes had elapsed that might Nimrod reappeared, having fired one shot and lost his prey.

In the meantime, I was loading and firing as fast as could be, sometimes at the head, and sometimes behind the shoulder, until my elephant fore-quarters were a mass of gore, notwithstanding which he continued to hold stoutly on, leaving the grass and branches of the forest scarlet in his wake.

On one occasion he endeavored to escape by charging desperately amid the thicket of the flames; but this did avail, and I was soon once more along side. I blazed away at this elephant, until I began to think he was proof against my weapons. Having fired 35 rounds with my two-groove rifle, I opened fire upon him with the Dutch six-pounder. When forty bullets perforated his hide, he began for the first time to evince signs of dilapidated constitution.

He took up a position in a grove; and as the dogs kept barking round him, he backed stern foremost among the trees, which yielded before his gigantic strength.

Poor old fellow! He had long braved my deadly shafts, but I plainly saw that it was now all over with him. So I resolved to expend no further ammunition but hold him in view until he died.

Throughout the chase this elephant repeatedly cooled his person with large quantities of water, which he ejected from his trunk over his back and sides. And just as the pangs of death came upon him, he stood trembling violently beside a thorny tree, and kept pouring water into his bloody mouth until he died when he pitched heavily forward, with the whole weight of his fore-quarters resting on the points of his tusks.

A most singular occurrence now took place. He lay in this position for several seconds, but te amazing pressure of the carcass was more than the head was able to support. He had fallen with his head so short under him that the tusks received little assistance from his legs. Something must give way. The strain on the mighty tusks was fair, they did not, therefore, yield. But the portion of his head in which the tusk was embedded, extended a long way above the eye, yielded and burst with a muffled crash. The tusk was thus free, and turned right round in his head, so that a man could draw it out, and the carcass fell over and rested on its side. This was a very first-rate elephant, and the tusks he carried were long and perfect.

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saeed@ emirates.net.ae

www.accuratereloading.com

I did exactly the same thing almost 20 years ago when I first went to Zimbabwe.

Those books are great entertainment, although I am not too sure about how truthful some of the stories mentioned there are.

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saeed@ emirates.net.ae

www.accuratereloading.com

A fascinating story although I feel for the elephant. I'm much more a fan of the one-shot kill when possible.

The old black powder rifles with soft lead balls in those days were not very good for penetrating elephant.

In one book I read the average shots required to bring down an elephant was 28!

Also, I think hunters in those days were shooting the elephants in teh wrong place by placing their shots too high and too far back for the heart.

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saeed@ emirates.net.ae

www.accuratereloading.com

If I remember correctly, even Selous in the late 1800's was in on the tail end of the practice of using heavy lead bullets and tremendous muzzle energies, but poor penetration.

The constant conflict between bullet weight, velocity and energy.

quote:

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Originally posted by Will:
If Gordon-Cumming or Nyschens did half of what they claim they were twice as tough as anybody I ever knew.

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Will - I would agree with your general thrust but I think that the pioneer hunters of old were, by necessity, tougher than folks today.

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Regards

Richard

quote:

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Originally posted by Will:
If Gordon-Cumming or Nyschens did half of what they claim they were twice as tough as anybody I ever knew.

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Will,
They were probably several times tougher than anyone you ever know.
ie...How many people do you know, hunted thick jess for upto 4 months at a time for the ladies of the valley? or went on a 5 year safari using 'salted' horses and ox carts?
Geoff.

I know tough safaris. The T-bone steak is medium instead of medium-rare and the champagne is cold, not chilled. I don't know how I could put up with all those annoyances!

Saeed, did Cumming mentioned the weight of tusks anywhere. Could anyone estimate that what would be the weight of tusks of large bulls around that time.

Saad

On the afternoon of the 4th I deepened my hole and watched the water. As the sun went down two graceful springboks and a herd of pallah came and drank, when I shot the best pallah in the troop. At night I watched the water with Kleinboy: very soon a cow black rhinoceros came and drank, and got off for the present with two balls in her. A little afterwards two black rhinoceros and two white ones came to the water-side. We both fired together at the finest of the two black rhinoceroses; she ran three hundred yards, and fell dead. Soon after this the other black rhinoceros came up again and stood at the water- side; I gave her one ball after the shoulder; she ran a hundred yards and fell dead. In half an hour a third old borele appeared, and, having inspected the two dead ones, he came up to the water-side. We fired together; he ran two hundred yards and fell dead. I felt satisfied with our success, and gave it up for the night.

By the following evening the natives had cleared away the greater part of two of the rhinoceroses which lay right in the way of the game approaching the water; I, however, enforced their leaving the third rhinoceros, which had fallen on the bare rising ground, almost opposite to my hiding �place, in the hope of attracting a lion ,as I intended to watch the water at night. Soon after the twilight had died away, I went down to my hole with Kleinboy and two natives, who lay concealed in another hole, with Wolf and Boxer ready to slip, in the event of wounding a lion.

On reaching the water I looked towards the carcase of the rhinoceros, and, to my astonishment, I beheld the ground alive with large creatures, as though a troop of zebras were approaching the fountain to drink. Kleinboy remarked to me that a troop of zebras were standing on the height. I answered, �:Yes:� but I knew very well that zebras would not be capering around the carcase of a rhinoceros. I quickly arranged my blankets, pillow, and guns in the hole, and then lay down to feast my eyes on the interesting sight before me. It was bright moonlight, as clear as I need wish, and within one night of being full moon. There were six large lions, about twelve or fifteen hyaenas, and from twenty to thirty jackals, feasting on and around the carcases of the three rhinoceroses. The lions feasted peacefully, but the hyaenas and jackals fought over every mouthful, and chased one another round and round the carcases, growling, laughing, screeching, chattering, and howling without any intermission. The hyaenas did not seem afraid of the lion, although they always gave way before them; for I observed that they followed them in the most disrespectful manner, and stood laughing, one or two on either side, when any lions came after their comrades to examine pieces of skin or bones which they were dragging away. I had lain watching this banquet for about three hours, in the strong hope that, when the lions had feasted, they would come and drink. Two black and two white rhinoceroses had made their appearance, but, scared by the smell of the blood, they had made off.

At length the lions seemed satisfied. They all walked about with their heads up, and seemed to be thinking about the water; and in two minutes one of them turned his face towards me, and came on; he was immediately followed by a second lion, and in half a minute by the remaining four. It was a decided and general move, they were all coming to drink right bang in my face, within fifteen yards of me.

I charged the unfortunate, pale, and panting Kleinboy to covert himself into a stone, and knowing, from old spoor, exactly where they would drink. I cocked my left barrel, and placed myself and gun in position. The six lions came steadily on along the stony ridge, until within sixty yards of me, when they halted for a minute to reconnoiter. One of them stretched out his massive arms on the rock and lay down; the others then came on, and he rose and brought up the rear. They walked, as I had anticipated, to the old drinking-place, and three of them had put down their heads and were lapping the water loudly, when Kleinboy thought it necessary to shove up his ugly head. I turned my head slowly to rebuke him, and again turning to the lions I found myself discovered.

An old lioness, who seemed to take the lead, had detected me, and, with her head high and her eyes fixed full upon me, she was coming slowly round the corner of the little vley to cultivate further my acquaintance! This unfortunate proceeding put a stop at once to all further contemplation. I thought, in my haste, that it was perhaps most prudent to shoot this lioness, especially as none of the other had noticed me. I accordingly moved my arm and covered her: she saw me move and halted, exposing a full broadside. I fired; the ball entered one shoulder and passed out behind the other. She bounded forward with repeated growls, and was followed by her five comrades all enveloped in a cloud of dust; nor did they stop until had reached the cover behind me, except one old gentleman, who halted and looked back for a few seconds, when I fired, but the ball went high. I listened anxiously for some sound to denote the approaching end of the lioness; nor listened in vain. I heard her growling and stationary, as if dying. In one minute her comrades crossed the vley a little below me, and made towards the rhinoceros. I then slipped Wolf and Boxer on her scent, and, following them into the cover, I found her lying dead within twenty yards of where the old lion had lain two nights before. This was a fine old lioness, with perfect teeth, and was certainly a noble prize; but I felt dissatisfied at not having rather shot a lion , which I had most certainly done if my Hottentot had not destroyed my contemplation.

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saeed@ emirates.net.ae

www.accuratereloading.com

quote:

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Originally posted by geoff devine-jones:
Saad,
Do you guys still do a lot of wild boar shooting in Pakistan?
I think it is a shame India banned hunting...officially. I did a lot of hunting in the Kumaon Hills(Corbett country) years ago.....God's country.
Cheers,
Geoff.

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Geoff,

Yes wild boar hunting is almost only legal big game left here. India still holds good populations of game animals. I think that they could safely start allowing trophy hunting, a better approach towards conservation. But their majority is against flesh eating and the so called animal lovers are influential in the area of game management.

When did you hunted Kumaon area and which species? Was it officially or... ? Corbett National Park is indeed a marvellous place. I wish to travel to that area, but relations between two countries are not stable for such visits. Reading Corbett's books and watching the documentary film on Corbett takes you in the environment of Terai hills and tiger trails.

Saad