1954-11-13 — Page 8

THE AUTHOR

THIS IS as good a wook-end as any to sit back and read of an adventure that million of us have often dreamed... seeing the groat game reserves of Africa with the wife and kids going along in the car. Spencer Chapman is a man who turned this dream into reality..

"H

pulled the

AVE

you seen anything ?

asked the other driver.

ILM

1

1

into Van

the

edge of the

to

make way

narrow track

for

first car we had mel

the that

"You." he replied.

soon as the dust had

morning.

IN

x}}}

like

5 THE CHINA MAIL SATURDAY,' 'NOVEMBER"" *1934. *

His ears looked like barn doors then our

r brake jammed on!

by

F. SPENCER CHAPMAN

author of "The Jungle is Neutral'

brake und get away; but it was a very unpleasant moment,

On another vezalion, on to shore of Lake Edward in Uganda, zeeing no animals about, ! took

my feld-ginaseA and leaving the van on the road wandered down to the water's edige

watch the birds elegant black winged suilta.

egrets, several kinds of ibis, and Krutesque pelicans,

4451

I could Fot some weaver- birds' nests in a patch of thorn trees

stone throw distani, and I put up my glasses to Burst

nut why the A pateb bles were sealing of white caught my eye, and to my astonishment i saw that full-grown elephant was stand- ing only 20 yarla from absolutely motionless in middle of the thurn bushes

14

mie.

Christopher (2) -in danger

his reaction was chatter!

Leaving the Iturl Forest and the pygmy country behind 11 we drove for three days along narrow, twisting mountain roads and last reached the

small the town of Farndle, where the only petrol obtainable was from the white-robel Dominican Fathers at the local mission.

I hurried back in the van for my vine cameru, and obtained some excellent "shots"

he splashed across to the shore and himbered up a three-foot bank

in land

eggs and fresh vegetables from his garden and, showing us over the camp whère giraffe, buffalo, zebra and various kinds of buck, are kept as well as horses and elephants.

The children made the most of having a whole afternoon out of the van, and bullt themselves pygmy lent shelter in the bushes. Unfortunately

was a heavy shower white we were

having lunch, and this was such a novelty that they усто soon covered from head to foot in red mud.

About Ave o'clock another flourish of trumpcis' warned us. that the elephants were re- turming, so we hurried out to meet them the children still looking like Red Indians,

cle- EL

First two full-grown plants

pulling appeared cumbersome four-wheeled cart piled high with fodder. Their mohoats--or "cornoes" as they are called in the Congo-armed with the traditional enkus, sat on their shoulders. These men are all of the local tribe, whose patience,

Azande

courage,

as hunters fit

Giant ears at the stretch-an African giant

Chapter 3 of THE FAMILY CAME TOO

hunts as they take place In February, the dry season in the Garamba National Park...

When a bord containing calves. of the right sizo has been located, the director and several of the trained Azande hunters

sot out on hot accompanied by others on foot with ropes and Isses. Their object is to capture animals of 12 to 15 years of age. which would stand about 8ft or of high

at the shoulder.

Younger ones; are more difi-

cult to

to rear, and if they are older they are harder to train. The hunting party then stalks the hard up-wind, for succTER depends on their getting really close about 20 yards without being observed Fortunately the elephant's sight ip poor although his hearing and sense of smell are phenomenal.

over

At a given sigant everyone shouts and rifles are fired the elephants' beads. The herd stampedes and the selected calves are lassoed and entangled with ropes, then lashed to trees until the monitors come up and take them in hand.

Sometimes a mother elephant return and ntlack thet hunting

party and then they have to shoot to kill, but it is strict rule that this is only

last resort. It

mother

dangerous and about to charge will

A

the

quite

anth

At the training school.... It's dangerous work -and difficult

were Indian or African, though their mahouts werk certainly from India.

and tradition them for tails exacting work,

Then camo a line of balf-a- dozen

of muddy water. His elephant more elephants cach carrying on his back a load of picked it up several times but

lo return and branches with the never held it aloft long enough common for a leaves

after dark,

In about 1000 King Leopolit II for the cornng to take it. At to her catf eorme seated on top.

All these elephants appeared called up and

ed this

in spite of guards, of the Belgians encouraged, it a 50-year-old elephant was frequently,

not Initiated, the idea of cap- not only chains and palisades, she to be pretty well full grown nodi

turing and training African some hnd tasks six or seven picked up the ankus but heid le reeds in liberating her enlf.

Eleven had been captured the elephants for transportation in feet long. They were

above her head until the owner quite

13 year of our visit and the the Cong, largely because of behaved beautiful well

and obedient, had grabbed it.

season before.

their immunity to the tsetse fly. after though we were careful to keep

Accordingly. four mile of gently undulating his our distance.

elephants WeTe despatched with their covered with tall, bright green

mahouts from Indin. grase and scattered trees like an

Unfortun- English park.

Bere We en tered

nyamah country-mile WIVISM.

his completely

From

ciephont In

down sufliciently for us to stood out from the top of are each other, "we passed bend two elephants about a mile hiding his shoulders bark; but be careful, they're rugues, they've just chased the two native boys of the grader working on the road. Seen any lions 2"

This conversation took place in the Kruger National Purk, and is typical of the exchanges that occur when two cars meet,

Like wings

a charging

forward gents ser wet. anxious

JONS

Ho

him before I sturted taking photographs but at that montent

artont £1

elephant

Fascination

merged from the bush on the THE

WON only other side of the road and

haired by an riephant, anci started to cross the track ahead that was

Afric We

round of us.

corner rather fast and saw an

We reached the station in the middle of the morning. only

Showing off

Finally, to show off their pores, the elephants were all made to kneel in the water, then stand up again at a given order.

After their bath the elephants troopt back in the fading light

she suc-

Eggs... Bananas ately the animals soon died and

THEN

hy some 70

the mahouts were too home- sick to HEN the serious business of Director of the Station www an to stay on but the first

to and that the elephants were 7HILE, they were unloading to their fines where each was believe it or not-by the cornacs there were

the 1940's Asking starts. This is done enthusinst and W the fodder

trained #11 Guit feeding. Apparently

in huge heaps secured for the night by a chain singing to their charges. They elephants at Gangala na Bodio. at they are very prone to sunstroke along the lines where they were round a fore and a hind In PortuguTMNC

leg. stof in front of them waving Some of them were hired out and work only from dawk until to be pleketid for the night, an- and there they stood-for the D about 10 .

Icaly elephants elephant Kroup

branch and repeating to work while those that could rarely Bes down- This

and again a monctonous not be trained were sent to the consisted of awaying ponderously from foot A French-speaking native Anal largo females who to foot and stuffing

zoological gardens of the world. themselves blue uniform showed t to a seemed to be shepherding a with tasty leaves and vines. most comfortable rest-house group of young unbroken overlooking a steep bank of un- elephants. believably green grass scattered with zinnias and marigolds.

קכו

While bis buck was still elephant standing in the middle turned we slipped pust him at a

the rust, He wilk

$AT distance of only 20 yards, He

prised as we were and started Swing round menseingly with to advance upon us; but it was his ears

and out

his trunk only bluff, and as I retreated as raised, but by this time we were fast as I emald in reverse, he past him and held the inlliative Sumtered of the track into the did, hus at this critical moment we HON we encountered the first least we thought we

found that the pin which holds ACCTI

As

however, of the brake had he charged in earnest, but by Africa the fet of nume hun- the handle dreds we were to meet in the dropped out, and I was unable this time I was accelerating fast

17,000-mile to release it.

S"

elephant we had

COUITAR

Journoy

11e

1

.:) Pract pricalis

In

the track

bull, browaint any come mopam serul aben 150 yards off He stood at least 10 feet lugh of the shoulder, and as he flapped his enormous ears he watched to us closely at the time

8-4224218

C his mosslye

We tusks and the very ringed truuk

one of the features that is Inguishes the African from this Talian elephant Presently he

14

ex-

!!

Nicholas, who after our perences with rhines had healthy respect fort large pachyderms, buried his heat in the cushions ui the

van, Stephen, who was always realy Try anything at least once, never farmert a hair, auch Valerie bart

The presence of mind givi Christopher a sweet-the utily way we could ever stop

ressant chatter

TO

his

The elephant, however, stop- lifted his trunk straight up pad After taking a few steps above his heard so as to get our towards us, and we managed to scent, and has burn-door ears replace the pin

Something new about the Parker Pen

that's hard to believe!

A now process makes the Parker "51" the world's smoothest writing pent

the hand-

passed!

him,

and we soon left him behind,

We found

elephants thet exerted a very strong fascina Hon over us, and though always treated them with respect due to their prodigious bulk, we availed ourselves ot see und

every opportunity k photograph them.

We

we the

For this reason

decided, before we even enteret the that we would Belgian Congo,

for pay visit to the Station the Domestication of the African Elephant, at Gangala na Bodio.

Bevond this was n line

گونی

huge trees marking the course of the Dungu river, and beyond this again the limitless savannah stretching cross Garanists No- tional Park to the Sudan border.

Red mud

rther marex

רטיןןתי

the

of

ក

Bad

sight

again chant,

cun

Feeding time

As the elephant is gradually mesmerised they approach Bearer and nearer until they can stroke him with a branch then handle him; but it is many months before the young ele- WWE drove the van back with-

WE phant will allow the cornse to

out wnking any

of the slept In in-

Next morning we were woken

at dawn by calls, and

the

usual trumpet

out to see the

went on

have their breakfast.

elephants have

females were the famous "monitors," as they are called, without whose nid the and training of young wild elephants would be almost TUE majority of the baby cle- sit on his back, and he has still children, and Valerie impossible.

phants spent the night in a to be taught to kneet down and the comfortable rest-house Now that all the elephants large open stockade, but three stand up at the word of cem- stead of her small tent. wer

put in mand, to handle logs, and draw back from the feeding of the youngest wore trounds, they moved off in smaller enclosures, which were ploughs and carts. stately line down to the Dungu lined with branches 30 that

Once we had left the

cle river for their evening bath, they would be kept warm und

phants, looming enormous HISP feel at home. the working elephants in one

in the evening light,

The mountains of fodder were wo re- 1001

and and

monitors

Most of these young unes turned to the rest-house and

by now reduced to heaps of were about 6ft, high and had another.

the young elephants in ano

children a much bare sticks, and these as well us TIE van unpacked, we

They seemed to enjoy their sprouting lusks, but one was THE

needed bath; then after

their the

dung were being collected just

bath enormously, drinking deep- only 4ft. tall apparently usual supper of scrambled eggs in wheelbarrows enjoying The luxury of camping in the middle ly and cluicing water over their they had had the greatest dim- and bananas and custard, we uniformed men.

bringing bucks, though they were careful culty of the morning when there was

up. put them to bed in the van and Then barrow-toads of manloc fanfare of trumpets and the not to wet their cornues, whe Elephants born on the station-- drove it round to the Belgian's roots were taken down the lines,

balanced precariously on their as several have been-are easy house young Belgian officer in charge

where We had been and each cornne fed and talked of the statlon galloped up

head oh elephant's

от shoulders to rear, but wild ones, when invited to dine.

to his own elephant. horseback.

and tried to keep dry the ring captured and taken away too The conversation, over tho Some were so tame of grass on which they normally early from thele mothers, tend ravioli and ronst guinea-fowl, could put pieces of He was most hospitable, lend- sit

to pine.

was, inevitably, of clephants. right in their m some native servants,

mouths, but others Once cornac accidentally Unfortunately, wc could No one knows, apparently, objected to strangers, and one

attend one of these whether Hannibal's elephants

throw sucks and stones nt mo as I passed by-and I was relieved to see that he was | ប still chained up!

in the extreme northeast corner ing us

were

rare

of the Congo, only 50 miles from presenting my with a hamper of dropped his ankus in eight feet not the Sudan border.

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In

and

bio

NO "UTILITY-BRED"

HE real gypsies of an- Tient Romany linenge

of

All

By J. W. Taylor

Coron and

GYPSIES

Yarm

by blue-

that

manisc

Ther the cornach made the elephants kneel so that they could mount them and rido them out to work, while the monitora - took

their young out to the feeding

grounds.

Very Timid

1.Q.

burned and the stove, dies who are believed to E

of

was

tribe.

cornac, ho can certainly bo made to push and pull and obey words

he

Ond who always speaks free- ly on this particular subject charges whenever have once again cavalcaded

visitors look in on from all over Britain

in and

the Romany colony at one most familiar

to all After being soaked in paraffin, Fair is Tommy Lee, whose their picturesque caravans, Northeast brass bandsmen,

the

old man's wagon, his family ly amongst the oldest ancient and modern, into the yarm have their spiritual lead- were

And, of course, the gypsies at clothing and his horse's harness true

true gypsies in England,

direct- small North Yorkshire town er who happens

descended from the first to be a true iron pans and crockery were Yarm, parking their Romano Rai

of the African (Romani scholar) broken

Afterwards the have gone to Britafa about the

elephant is not as high as homes by the score in long and one of the best-known fragments were buried in the beginning of the 18th century, that of his Indian cousin, and lines down the broad main

authorities

the North an ground. They put a brand They were originally descended he is timid and easily upset. street for the historic Yarm fe is that remarkably ft and Isaac Heron's

gypsy longunge and customs. new suit, tumed inside out, tn from some nomadic East Indian but, in the hands of his Azande Fair.

coin. Food spry 31-year-old Canon D.MM. also placed there.

senior the old-established Bartlett,

When true gypsy dies. It librarian Romany families are repre- shie to meet the gypsies as an

of Ripon Cathedral, is the usual custom to destroy

of command, though an his

ise cats half a ton of vegetable horses, Heron's

Tominy: ***There sented there, like the Lees, old friend and adviser and upeale humanely

were Says

ader nothing in the world like a compete with the modern bull- matter day, ho con Bcarcely despatched the Evanses, the Herons to them in their Romany tongue, SPGA. Such old traditions are never hear of a real gypsy com

official

the gypsy's love and feeling. You dozer and tractor. supervision and the "Dictionary" Bos- wells, all members of

dying out as gypsies marry out mitting a crime because he has of the blood with

been taught through scattered

our rigid and

Canon Bartlett's long associa families, and become "mumpers" code of morals and conduct by world-wide greater family who

tion with these wanderers boast the highways from all parts of

his elders to behave himself." or half-and-halls. the pure gypsy blood. the world has made him a sort pilgrims, are law abiding people

True gypsies, like the Yurm "In the old days," he adds, The

Evans family from of link with

George Borrow, with their own, strict code of people used to tell their Stockton, who traco their whose stories of gypsies ancestry back to the

conduct and morals, They have children: The gypsies will run become English classics. As carly

an intense hatred of immorality bellove that of the real Romany. gypsies of Wales, are represent- young mal, had known Bor- onst they feel a real sense

You the Conon met immodesty and ed by Mrs Scenterlenabellfagan kypsics

uncleanliness, The gypsies have no call to run Evans. The first part of that now Dong

them old Irane shame when unjustly

any chlidren--they blamed away with tongue-twisting Christian name, "Scenterlena,"

then over 90. Following for the crimes and misbehaviour always have plenty of their own is a corruption Heron's death, Canon Bartlett of outsiders whom the public

to bring up. Saint Helena, where her offelated at his gypsy funeral, loosely describe father did garrison duty as

RS "gypales." Mr Loo, 87; how huë his home conducting the service half In These are nothing like real in Carlisle, but annually at- soldier.

The "belltagen" part Romany and half in English. Konmples, but are a utility tends Yarm Fair and visits his should really have been "help" The full [eremony of the breed" with no respect for the mother's grave at nearby hegor," which is the title of a traditional "funeral sacrifice" old gypsy loyallies, codes, of Stockton, and ils father's military march her father loved, was observed on that occasion, behaviour and ancient customs. Middlesbrough

&

1

JOHNNY HAZARD E

LISTEN, CONTESSA, İZYM IN NO MOOD FOR'

- QUEDSÍNG · GÂMISÍ YOU BAY HAZARD 18 AUVERAI WANTE TO KNOW WHERE

HE-18!

PULL THE "TRIGGER, BAHJO,

`AND YOU'LL | HEVER FIND OUT

WHERE:HI'S HIDDENJ

who

AND IF YOU TRY ANY VIOLENCE. ON ME THE EDLICH WILL GET METHAZARDIA I'VE BEENṢTO, THAT?

1021

OKAY YOU WIN, BABY! WHATIS YOUR PROPOSITION?

BO TO THE STATES. AND, GET YOUR MONEY,

THEN RETURN TO VINIGE / WE SPLIT, THE KIGHT: HUNDRED STIKKUSAND

gorgio

of

away with you.' Don't

By Frank Robbins

„IʻLL. HAND HAZARD OVER TO YOU AND THEN YOU'R BETER RUN TO BOUTH" AMERICA, BEFORE I TURN

at

After we had sold, goodbye to the

young, Bolglan and his even younger wife — the only on the Europeans

station we drove out of the gates, watched by an inquisitive giraffe in an enclosure by the picket linda.

"Why do elephants charge, Daddy?" asked Nicholau.

"Because they don't like tha scent of man," I replied,

"Oh," said Nichoing thought- fully, then they don't In woman's scent'

NEXT WEEK

in the Mad Man

country

for

San Miguel

mind