1940-09-13 — Page 2

SHORT STORY

THE CHINA MAIL FRIDAY SUPPLEMENT, SEPTEMBER 13, 1940.

By

Luck Hunts With the Dogs C. T. Stoneham

This happened to Bill Gale.

was

a

bull camelion: crouched over her carcass, A man who goes out at night to where unknown terrors prowled he delighted in the appearance of At dusk the young attend to his pony and finds no In a patch of sand was dog-like the beast.. He leant his rifle quictly out of the bush, and to close against the thorns. Bill's wall and devoted Bill's. satisfaction he was accom-torch picked him out, Two hands are needed to fire a rifle; Bill pony lying in the stable, but alspoor which Bill identified as that against the

several minutes to contemplation panied by two cows.

thrust the torch into his pocket cow eland, may be expected to of a hunting dog.

of her. She reminded him of aj

'slowly forward, show surprise and annoyance. Standing there, he reviewed the favourite Jersey cow named Daisy They discovered the entry, and walked

evidence, and arrived at an ex-whom he had bred in the days without hesitation they passed in-straining his eyes to make out the Bill had given his syce a holi-planation which fitted the facts before he came to Tanganyika to the bome, attracted by the shape of the enemy Within: fit- smell. of their own species, which teen paces of the boast, ha stopped. day. An hour after dark he re-The eland had been chased by and farmed sheep.

for them meant safety. Bill pulled The lion growled fiercely, it de- membered that his pony had not wild dogs, Being an expert jump-|

The eland regarded him. In on the trip-rope, the door fell. fonded: Its kill, warning the man been stabled, and hastened to er, she had leapt the wire of the

of to keep his. distance: Its form, and and rushed, panic docile apathy: she was worn out. He was the proud possessor

that of the dead eland, remedy his oversight, for he lived paddock

Day-fate was too much for her, she four cland. in the bush-veld of Tanganyika stricken, into the stable,

black blot in, the shadows. where lions and. leopards are com-dream, who disliked wild animals,jabided the issue in hopeless

The sheep, were neglected; Bill: mon. The night was dark and had made, way for her, and him-Isignation. A gusty sigh came from! cloudy, Bill took his flash-light. self become the quarry of the her velvety nostrils, she blinked spent most of his time engrossed. Bill was scothing with fury. He in his new hobby. The boma was had been fond of the dead cow; hunters. The pony had broken out wearily.

enlarged until it surrounded the he had lost all his pets; the lion Daydream, the pony, ran in aand fled into the bush, where, Bill

"Well Daisy," said the man, whole, paddock, a water-furrow was responsible. He aimed at the small paddock enclosed by a post-Iwas assured, he was now provid-| and-wire fence. The stable was ing a. meal for the ravenous dogs. "you're too good-looking to shoot was led through It,, rock salt was thick of the beast's body and

fired. at his disposal, and at dusk he Bill swore deep. The exchange There's hay, in the rack, and straw provided sought its shelter; to be locked in of a good pony for a wild eland to lie on; make yourself at home: We'll talk further about this in for the night. Daydream liked seemed to him unprofitable.

the morning." the mysterious bush and its dan- gers no better than his master.

the

the

frightened; she was a sleek, hand- some creature, the biggest of the

Bill had the soul of a cattleman,

re-|

.

a

Within a month Bill, caught A terrifle growl announced three more. They were all flour-hit. The next moment the lion, unable to retreat; dashed at him. ishing, all seemingly content, He went to the house to rouse out his boys and get his rifle. Two He picked up a bucket and fill-

Neighbours were amused at the It emerged into the moonlight, When he sheep-farmer's hobby. "They look bounding fast, evidently Hitle Bill approached the stable herdsmen were despatched with ed it at the trough, quietly and shone his torch with-ja lantern to track missing lowered it over the half-door the pretty" said one, "but what use hurt, Bill knew his peril and set in. The young cow eland lay on pony; Bill returned to the stable eland did not move, but in a, min-are they? The labour, not to man himself to counter it. He stood the straw of the stall, her flanks to dispose of unwelcome ute or two the lure of water was tipn the wire and stuff, you have still, training his weapon on; the The door was in two too much for her prudence; she used on this enclosure must have advancing: target: At five paces, heaved regularly to her distressful visitor. breathing, she was too exhausted parts, he opened. the top half and advanced timidly and emptied the cost quite a bit, and I don't see he shot.

con- what you hope to make out of it. to take fright at the light-beam. focussed the torch on the eland. bucket. Bill listened with

feet and tentment to her satisfied: gurgles. You can't self meat here, animal The lion turned a complete After one astonished stare, Bill She had risen to her closed the door and leant against stood shakily, dazzled by the light, Nothing was so pleasing as the dealers won't give much for beasts somersault, but rolled: forward, it, thinking the matter out, What trying to make out the danger sound of a thirsty, beast, enjoying that have to be transported so far, a gigantic ball, striking at his legs. Bill was flung to the ground, the risk of travel is too great." could have happened to

Day-behind it. Her eyes were big, and a good drink,

fortunately clear of the struggling dream?

"Good night, old girl," said the "I like 'em," said; Bill: obstinate animal. The lion'e spine was dam- He made the circuit of the antelopes, like a graceful speci- farmer, and went to turn out more ly. "They are my pals, they'll eat aged it could not got up; Bill's

carrots out of my hand." It was next bullet killed it. fence, found a post broken off and men of the humped cattle of this boys to search for the pony.

true, the eland. had, become re-

Painfully the ma: stumbled the wires down. Hoof-prints led country.

He sat on the step of his little markably tame.

back. to

replying his house, away through the tangled, thickets-

wooden house thinking things over. Bill was not a prosperous One day a friend. sent. Bill. a mechanically to the excited ques- tion of his boys, who had gather- settler. He had three hundred magazine which. sheep. Wool was down in price, article of interest to him. South ed outside the boma. In his lighted aroom he discovered several deep droughts were troublesome, the Africa was about to establish

cuts on his legs, and, knowing the place was mortgaged. Seven years wild animal park in the Cape; Bill had struggled against adver-reserve in which the indigenous risk of blood-poisoning, despatch- sity and it seemed that soon he beasts could wander at will, The ed his house-boy for hot water must admit defeat. The loss of his object was to preserve the vanish- and permanganate. By morning only pony was yet another blow, ing fauna. Since most of it had he was in the grip of a bad attack an added expense:

already vanished, there would be of malaria. some difficulty in stocking the

A doctor drove, thirty miles: to He determined not to be the reserve.

attend to Bill. For two days the loser by this, accident, A tame eland must have value; he would After the rains a young South patient was delirious, but on the domesticate Daisy and sell her to African arrived at Bill's farm. He third was pronounced out of dan- a menagerie. With the proceeds he was collecting animals. for the new ger, the prompt treatment had would buy another pony,

park, and he had heard of the cleansed his wounds, and a robust famous eland... With pride Bill constitution would ensure his re- At midnight the boys returned showed him a dozen healthy, con-covery. The doctor congratulated with the news that only hide and tented cows under the leadership him on his lucky escape and de- bones remained of the unfortunate of a fine young bull. The stranger parted to attend another case. Daydream. The wild. dogs had was impressed but disappointed made their kill. Bill gave them that Bill would not, sell. baksheesh and sent them off, to

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The first morning. that Bill could think straight his boy bed. "Another fifteen pounds "It's like this," said the farmer, brought him his mail, picked up

Iby the doctor at the township. gone west!" he muttered as he "I've got fond of these beasts. sought his own rest.

can't bear to part with them. You

see, they are as friendly with me "Bwana," said the boy, "I have In the morning he undertook as my Jerseys used to be; I can do seen a strange thing". the training of the eland: Like anything with them.”

"Have you?" said Bill absently, all her breed she would be a great

The He demonstrated the truth of tearing open an envelope: jumper; Bill had a thorn boma, twelve feet high, built round the his assertion by walking among boy, polite as every savage; por- stable. Then he liberated the cap-the captives, who followed after ceived his preoccupation and tive

waited. him in hopes of dainties,

The letter was a demand from She came out into the mid-day The collector was blunt: "Why

pay- sunlight, seeming stiff and weary don't you sell?: They tell me you the Land Department for still. Evidently the wild dogs had are about done for as a farmer.ment of rent, and a threat.to con- chased her many miles, The You'll have to close down before fiscate. Bill's farm. With a mutter- apathy persisted: she inspected the long" boma Indifferently, blew. disgust- cdly at the dusty grass,, and wan- dered back into the stable.

Bill:nodded: "But: Thang on as long as I can, and I won't.part with my eland.?' ·

ed expletive Bill' threw it down. All his hovering misfortunes were descending on him at one swoop.

"Bad news," said the boy sym- pathetically. He waved his hand "Her home," said one of the

A few weeks after the South as though dismissing an invisible boys, grinning. Bill sent him for

African

"Now had departed disaster presence of evil. water, and ordered the rest to cut again overtook the unlucky farm-good. The eland are standing in long grass in the bush, All Daisy's er. He was awakened at mid- the boma:" needs were supplied.

night by the triumphant roar of a

comes

lion: Bill shuffled into slippers, Bill stared, then, he laughed. By the time, the eland had re-

he covered health and spirits she had seized his ride, and rushed out, wealdly. "I did tame them," grown accustomed to: confinement There was a terrific commotion in averred. "That is the proof of it, and the presence of men. Her pr the eland's enclosure, it seemed they have come back to their son was small but not uncomfort the antelopes were galloping from friend," able; she was safe from maraud side to side, snorting with terror.

in the night! ing. beasts. Bill: would sit on the The growling of a llon was loud

He opened the second letter. It was: from the Cape Government. They wanted his herd of eland for

rail of the boma talking to her and smoking his pipe; he disliked sheep, and she supplied his need. Bill ran down to the gate. In their National Park, and offered for the society of placid, bovine faint moonlight: he could see his him the job of ranger with sole beasts among whom he had been pets rushing about, charging into charge of the antelope of every reared. In a district infested with the thorns, Tho: llon had forced species. Bill read it through, then. East Coast Fever Bill: could not his way in, he was lying in the he called loudly for his clothes. farm cattle: he wished he might shadow, probably guarding the Thirty pounds a month, free farm eland: There were plenty of kill he had made. Bill knew house, and medical attendance, the creatures in the bush; occa- he would attack the panic Juma," he told the uncompre- slonally one was shot for meat, stricken survivors, again and hending boy. "I'm going to be a but the remainder were not wor-ogain; rendered furious by their Government bloke and farm buck |rled. •

apparent refusal to vacate his better than cattle, any day." neighbourhood: he had seen'; a flock of sheep decimated in this A few minutes later, he strug One evening Bill came out on his stoep to see a young bull cland way. He dare not enter the bomagled, weak and dizzy, down to the to shoot", the lion, the eland would bomb. There stood; a dozen big, standing by the boma gazing knock him down and trample steelt animals which he had never through, the thorns. Evidently he

¡him. was much interested in Daisy. Bill stayed occupied the night-

The thought of the antelopes! They were gathered round their time hours in making plans. Now he directed his boys to make a terror and the certainty of their trough eating corn, and licking plank door to the boma which fate cooped up with the arch-alt, but: at the sound of Bill's could be raised and suspended by killer was intolerable. Bill: flung, cheerful shout they raised their wide the gater and stepped aside. splendid: honds. Then with one á rópe..

A stream of big beast's dashed past accord they came towards him. He Tel. 21463. That evening Dalsy was shut in him to the wild bush and safety, was the provider of toothsome her stable Bill sat on the stoep Then, in cold rage, he went in dellanoles; he was their friend and holding the end of a long rope to try conclusions with the libnprotector; they were happy to see which controlled the drop door.'. A young cow had fallen; the him again.

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