From the Congo Basin to the Highlands of Ethiopia
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
From the Congo Basin to the Highlands of Ethiopia From the Congo Basin to the Highlands of Ethiopia by Steve Christenson Safari Press This book is dedicated to my wife, Sheryl, Without you, none of this would have been possible. FROM THE CONGO BASIN TO THE HIGHLANDS OF ETHIOPIA © 2013 by Steve Christenson. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be used or reproduced in any form or by any means without permission from the publisher. The trademark Safari Press ® is registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and with government trademark and patent offices in other countries. Christenson, Steve First edition Safari Press 2013, Long Beach, California ISBN 978-1-57157-390-2 Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 2011942114 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Printed in China Readers wishing to receive the Safari Press catalog, featuring many fine books on big-game hunting, wingshooting, and sporting firearms, should write to Safari Press, P.O. Box 3095, Long Beach, CA 90803, USA. Tel: (714) 894- 9080 or visit our Web site at www.safaripress.com Table of Contents Foreword by Tommy Caruthers ........................................................................................................................................vii Introduction ...........................................................................................................................................................................ix Part I Egypt and Sudan Chapter 1 The Warrior Priests ................................................................................................................................1 Chapter 2 A Place of War .........................................................................................................................................5 Chapter 3 The Adventurers ....................................................................................................................................13 Chapter 4 The Sanctuary ........................................................................................................................................15 Chapter 5 Lower Nile of the Red Crown .............................................................................................................19 Chapter 6 The Vulture and the Hooded Cobra .................................................................................................25 Chapter 7 A Barbaric Land .....................................................................................................................................41 Chapter 8 Hunting Nubian Ibex ...........................................................................................................................48 Chapter 9 Eyes of the Peregrine .............................................................................................................................54 Chapter 10 The Ghost of Osman Digna ................................................................................................................61 Chapter 11 Desert Lightning ....................................................................................................................................67 Chapter 12 Maghreb Storm ......................................................................................................................................77 Chapter 13 House Arrest in Khartoum .................................................................................................................80 Chapter 14 Demagogues ............................................................................................................................................90 Part II The Central African Republic for Giant Eland Chapter 15 The Adventure Begins ..........................................................................................................................97 Chapter 16 A Razor’s Edge ....................................................................................................................................100 Chapter 17 The Long Trip to Koubo ................................................................................................................... 108 Chapter 18 A Storm from Darfur .........................................................................................................................116 Chapter 19 Precious Mistakes ...............................................................................................................................120 Chapter 20 Elan de Derby .......................................................................................................................................130 Chapter 21 Eland Hunters ......................................................................................................................................133 Chapter 22 Koubo River Bulls .............................................................................................................................. 136 Chapter 23 Striking Back ....................................................................................................................................... 139 Chapter 24 Dinner Guests ......................................................................................................................................143 Chapter 25 Other Trophies and Secrets ............................................................................................................. 146 Chapter 26 A Father’s Wrath ................................................................................................................................154 Chapter 27 A Crescent Moon ................................................................................................................................ 157 Part III Ethiopia Chapter 28 A First Dose of Reality .......................................................................................................................161 Chapter 29 Ancient Illuminations .........................................................................................................................165 Chapter 30 Ambush in the Danakil ..................................................................................................................... 168 Chapter 31 Storm in the Arussis ...........................................................................................................................174 Chapter 32 Saga of Alemayehu ............................................................................................................................. 182 Chapter 33 Mengistu’s Long Reach ...................................................................................................................... 188 Chapter 34 Hunters of the Dega Agazin ..............................................................................................................190 Chapter 35 The Tragedy of Mamu ....................................................................................................................... 192 Chapter 36 Between Two Skies ............................................................................................................................. 193 Chapter 37 Reflections on Badda .......................................................................................................................... 198 Chapter 38 A Ride to Glory ...................................................................................................................................205 Chapter 39 Fiqir’s Ticho Bull ..................................................................................................................................210 Chapter 40 Ethiopian Paragon ...............................................................................................................................214 Chapter 41 Ivory from Gewane ............................................................................................................................. 223 Chapter 42 Danakil Treasure ................................................................................................................................230 Part IV Liberia Chapter 43 Genesis of an Idea ............................................................................................................................... 235 Chapter 44 Taking on a Partner ............................................................................................................................ 238 Chapter 45 The Plan Comes Together ................................................................................................................ 239 Chapter 46 Final Puzzle Pieces ............................................................................................................................. 242 Chapter 47 The Price of Rice ................................................................................................................................. 243 Chapter 48 The Bringer of Death ......................................................................................................................... 247 Chapter 49 Final Preparations ............................................................................................................................... 250 Chapter 50 Camp Gilmore ......................................................................................................................................253 Chapter 51 Hunting Techniques in Liberia ......................................................................................................