ARTIST AND HUNTER.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2410, 27 January 1909, Page 2

ARTIST AND HUNTER.

..BIG GAME SHOOTING. Mil F. S. .RADiEN-POtAVEL-L IN NE,W ZEALAND. Among the visitors to New Zealand at the present time is Mr Frank Smyth Baden-Powell, F.R.G.S., F.Z.S., the well-known painter and sculptor,-' and a brother of Lieut.General Baden-Powell. Although Mr Bnden-Powell is best known to the world as an historical .artist, he has inherited the family characteristic of versatility, and is a noted big .game hunter and enthusiast in all kinds of athletic sports. As an artist, he has exhibited many works at the Royal Academy, London, at) the Paris Salon, and many other galleries. As a sportsman he has hunted .big game in many parts of the world, and as ia traveller he travelled 40,000 miles during the years 1902 and 1903. Mr Baden-Powell is at present on another lengthy tour, accompanied by his wife, who is the daughter of tho late Mr Janies Watt, •' of Napier, also by their only child, a boy of five. Interviewed at Auckland by the

•Herald,” Mr Baden-Powell said that his present trip- was one of pleasure, and he intended to stay in New Zea- j land about two months. While here : lie will have soino trout fishing, but not at Rotorua. Mr /Baden-Powell’s chief hobby—if it may be called such —is, however, big game hunting, and ladies will be interested to learn that his wife accompanies him on many of these expeditions, though she does nob go to the dangerous camps. i Oil tlie subject of big game hunting, Air ißaden-Powell is decidedly interesting. He has been everywhere and shot everything. During his present trip lie liad some good hunting in tlie Canadian Rockies, and was fortunate enough to secure three big horned sheep, which are now getting very scarce. Ho was guided by two American Indians, and had what he declares was “a lovely wild time” in the Canadian backwoods. Some exciting- experiences have been Mr 'Radon-Powell’s lot when big game hunting in Africa—British East Africa. “It is lovely country,” he remarked, “although practically right on the line. But as you get into it you rise and rise, and on the plateau land the climate is splendid. That is where 1 got my best game. One . rhinoceros I shot was unique.' He 1 Inis a single horn, jutting out straight ahead of him. The British. Museum lias the skull, with a model of the horn, and I have had the horn fitted . to a model of the skull. _ It was quite a freak. For some time there was speculation whether it might- be a new species of ‘rhino,’ but there is [ no doubt it is merely a freak of na- | ture. The - horn is 28in. in length, and as thick as my arm.” | The king of beasts is not to be; feared as "much as tlie rhinoceros,! in Air Baden-Powell’s opinion. “Tho' rhinoceros is worse to tackle than a lion,” he said. “Lions, as a rule, run away, although a lioness or a j wounded lion may attack, but a ! ‘rhino’ will often charge unmolested. ! He snorts, tears up the ground, and . charges blindly. They are also very ! quick with their horns, and as thev 1 charge past will easily rip up an uni-, nial. The ‘rhino,-’ however, is no ; longer impervious to a bullet, but j easily succumbs t-o -a well-directed nic-j kel bullet- fired from a modern heavy j gun. Soft-nosed bullets arc used for j Hons and other soft-skinned animals. [ The lion, when hungry, easily car- j lies off an animal of considerable! size.” Alir Baden-Powell lost one .of i his donkeys, which was laden with 2cwt of rice. The animal was car- , ried off into the adjacent scrub, -and ; its bones were picked clean. The j rice was found 'alongside the bones, , untouched. . The elephants -are being driven I back, buti there are still plenty of j them in the Uganda country. “There will be plenty of elephants for sporting purposes for tho next hundred years.” declared Air Baden-Powell. The elephant is -a wary beast, difficult to stalk. His wonderful 1 sense of smell and keen hearing make him difficult to approach, but his drawback is his imperfect eyesight.” On' his last big game expedition Mr BadenPowell “bagged” two elephants. One of the trophies o-f his skill was a record <nr>affe, standing 1/ft. in liciglit. ' Part of Mr Baden-Powell’s present tour included a visit to Japan, where lie gathered material for tihree new pictures. “But,” he said, ‘my piiesent trip is a sporting .and sightseeing one only.” Incidentally, 'Air BadenPowell expressed the pleasure ho ten at being once more in New Zealand, which, in his opinion, is the pick of all the colonies.