The Sword-Hunters of the Desert.

Manawatu Herald, Volume III, 9 December 1890, Page 3

The Sword-Hunters of the Desert.

« f The last Arab tribe which our ] space will allow of nny reference to are the Hararans, or sword-huiu<us ' of the South ofCassala, whose habits and mode of life have been so well des i-ibed by Sir Samuel Baker in a work specially devoted to them. They have two chief weapons, a finely-tempered double-edged sword and shield. These weapons avo their constant companions, and with them they hunt the elephant, the lion, the baboon, the crocodile, and tho hippopotamus ; in the pursuit of the last animal, however, the sword is exchanged for a harpoon and lance. The following method is adopted in hunting the eltphant. One of the hunters rides ahead of the furious animal, so as to draw its attention from those who are behind. While the animal is thus occupied, one of the Arabs swiftly dismounts from his trained horse, ami administers a heavy blow with the sharp sword on the lower portion of one of the elephant's hind legs, and then instantly springs on big horse again and is out of reach before the animal can take revenge on bin. A couple of such blows disableo the olaphaut when it easily fal s a victim to its bold persecutors. It is needles to say that to hunt in this manner the hunter must bo a skilful rider. And this the Hamram Arabs aro. There are probably no more skillal horsemen in the world, not even among the Indians or Hispa-io- Americans. Centaur-like, they seem a port of the horse. At full ga lop ov^r rough ground they swing themselves li k o monkeys under the horse's bellie, pick up stones throw them into the air and catch them before descending ; or when the horse is cal oping at full speed, they will spring to the ground, flourish their swords, ami

without once checking the speed of the animal, with their hand firmly elntchod in the mane, will lightly vault again into their seats. Skilful horsemanship is common to all the race, and also a love for the beautiful animals, which are not uncommonly owned by them, though it must be acknowledged that, when irritated, tLuy will abuse their animals most unmercifully, though never to the extent which the savage Indians <k>.— Exchange-