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9/27/1950 - Tanganyika Game Ranger by John B. George

NOT OR PUBLICA OH INSTITUTE OF CURRENT WORLD AFFAIRS JBG Lake Hotel Tanganylka Game Ranger Bukoba TanganyiaEast Africa Hr Walter S RogersInstitUte Current Affairs September Fifth Avenue New York New York Dear Mr Rogers In whenever I heard nyone speak Game Ranger always stirred imagination ediately I would visualize broad shouldered figure shirt rifle revolver staunch enforcer frontier Nature Noble could forty miles through forest lessly running armed criminals Well I finished spending Tan ganyika Game Ranger illusion shattered would ultimate understatement During those twelve I saving since Oxford aside enjoyment forgetting about things relatio I wastmore yards colonial policy while Mr Bryan Cooper Tanganyika Game Department better known Walkie Talkie And during every blessed minute those daylight I hovered brink homicide I first Mr Cooper three truck driving District Commissioner house Biharamulo The truck painted brilliant green silver sides silver buffalo Coopers perversion Territory Department emblem ornamenting radiator An enormous chrome plated tenna sprouted Cab truck passed hundred yards I could clearly American boogie woogie coming short An outsize chrome spotlight perched above drivers phasizing vehicle marked resemblance Mardi float The truck Was heaped tents drums ollapsible motor boats outboard motors furniture The sides festooned coils canvas waterbags entrenching tools A tarpaulin green matching paint stretched heaped cargo dozen uniformed native scouts their calico wives scout holding rifle wearing polished brass buffalo front bellboy JBG I introuce Mr Cooper minutes later District Conissioner I already heard habit speak incessantly I edgewise anything single hello He started about recent troutfishing leave motorboats shooting leopard patent glass trout America I looke listened Nature Nobleman He narrow shouldere6 balding faced footed crane necke6 He black quito boots which almost knobby knees briefly above which skirt truly pukka sahib khaki shorts Four inches higher greater flare starched jacket pattern American spangle6 breast pockets cartriges loops The Joycian stream consciousness continue6 steady continuous insulated possible reply comment other occasional monosylabic agreement He asked I elephant shooting I feeling I could stomach chatter knowing greater vices hidden accepted He unloaded several scouts wives truck The first drove south village elephants before His inquirie workers travellers spoor crossed tself He haile4 every truck passed stopped every native walking Once passing truck instantly respond waving This apparantly terrible breach manners He slamme4 brakes grabbe4 rifle I holSing betwenmy knees sprang aiming direction offending vehicle This houseboy fired dramatically throwing terminal handful silver shillings contemptuously ground The dignity turning walking Cooper stoop coins himself Then shouted bawling whole safari We campe4 night small village I relief I looking forward boogie woogie short radio because truck unpackaged proudly installed under battery equal It fantastic peaceful evening African wilds radio blaring ooper chatting shooting BSA rifle doves nearby wonder wonders Cooper shouting servants Swahili bawling ortgtoo The dinner delayed reason Cooper began shout louder When hurry things jumped walke Luger pistol under pillow He several shots The pistol table patting whenever servant approached He fired course coming I sleep voice He telling almost suici shoot elephant telescopic sight I should scope biggest possible notches sights fitted If other I could I scope enough several continents something about though I would anyone right But communication between Cooper Outside irecton I uring night noticed ammunition beside barrel aligned directly pillow round chamber I turned weapon around moved north Cooper saying water holes drie6 elephant I grabbed opportunity I discouraged willing whole thing And keenness elephant outrightly demanding return Biharamulo On Cooper bunch natives gathered drinking roadside village He halted truck played radio exchanged greetings headman kittenish amusement sprayed crowd andhls pyrene extinguisher A troop baboons chose place across right middle village Cooper grabbe rifle several clips ammunition began bullets ricocheting along between Drunken natives bullets flying confuse baboons running across shooting gallery Out about fifteen shots killed I remained hands On nothing learned about recent elephant spoor shooting baboons At Kagera River ferry Bukoba found barge moored Se resting opposite Again Cooper resorted firearms firing shots their hea6s ragingly taking number truck ahead which waiting about minutes screamed minutes Wh bringing acroBs looking African charge staring directly Cooper scowling North Kagera across fresh spoor parked truck followed several miles finally locating watching while several elephant But river bulls among truck During there momentary gleam Cooper tripped forward ground He struck earth downwards I hoped fieldglasses suspended front chest would provide enough anvil fracture several But after rolling moaning minute Back truck going along check reported spoor another spotted hippo roadside brush Cooper grabbed rifle regard should shoot other whennar elephant staged another shooting spree He emptied without stopping beast finish range about flfteen Tim Harrls D C Bukoba later thought Cooper butcher likes things I believe The spent Cooper ostentatiously distri buting hippo local gangs being Moslems would touch But quantity Christian Pagan gratitude The morning after I spoored several hours Cooper It experience Though I supposed shooting insisted Walking front behind scout really wonderful tracker named Bakari It commonly thought District Bakarl secret success Cooper enjoyed elephant shooting I devise ingenious method getting round etting front party I would suddenly Jump point pretend something ahead excitedly forward point Bakarl Nhen I front Cooper I would stick elbows carry rifle obstruct trail I would incline right whenever tried circle blocking In I behind tracker where I belonged In shooting crisis I wanted Cooper despite promise would unless charged He tired And rifle being carried porter I liked We nearing could feeding breaking trees Cooper began singing unsubdued voice Oh Beautiful Morning Then buffalo which Qanted count impalla which wanted party admire while deliver impromptu natural history lecture I fourletter impalla buffalo walked He happy I succeSs Of elephant When I00 yards Cooper Bakari I spotted crossing front right column nearly hundred animals We watched tusks ambled waiting bigger which often trail I picked ivory thicker thigh between Cooper running slope towards Don shoot Don shoot yelling advice valid I should attention The found brain elephant slowly tracks It tusks pounds The spent removing entire skull carry cross sectioning location brain cavity elephant control scouts This means tusks cannot removed until tissues sheaths decompose permit withdrawal without chopping It month before I learn exact eight tusks trophy The remaining hours sociological observation On Biharamulo Cooper carry vigorously conception ranger duties Whenever native muzzle loading would weapon hands check loaded forbidden native manufactured poder At powder bullet pouches would jerked examined scouts When frisking finished would thrown rough natlve hands pouches would tossed ground He raided villages going looking illegally obtained skins trophieS Cooper While driving confided little history He suffered concussion youngster motorbike accident commanded company Kings African Rifles garrisen police during months selge Malta fever One interesting aspect career stern disciplinarian superiors objected halted measures He couldn afford nigger troops As proof wisdom sterner discipline which would malntained cited interesting clrcumstance His successor command company invalided Malta fever murdered mutilated mutinous African soldiers All administrative officials Game Ranger predict violent poisoned arrow villager bullet Own scouts For retrospect whole affair belly laugh biggest buffoonery I witnessed since But I think isregard serious effect Cooper East Africa A India caused tremendous Get Out White Man There ooper whole East Africa enough It likely I suppose laughed Government service eventually But would remain farmer still everlordlng large number Africans When considers Freudlan urges enticed Cooper East Africa London where human beings would respect polsened arrow scout bullet seems selutlon Sincerely B Georgg Received New York