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The Paul Roberts Khaki Fever Shirt takes its name from the tongue-in-cheek campfire phrase “khaki fever” – that curious condition said to strike at the sight of a hunter in well-worn safari clothes, dust on his boots and rifle over his shoulder. The story behind it begins in London in 1981, with an invitation to Tanzania, a chance meeting that changed the course of one safari and a tale Paul Roberts still tells more than forty years later.
Tanzania, November 1981
by Paul Roberts in 2026
Whilst not planning a big game hunt in 1981, I was persuaded to join a friend and good customer, a wealthy Italian owner of a shipping line, to join him on a 21-day safari in the Selous game reserve. “Keep me company and shoot a buffalo and leopard on me”, my Italian friend nicknamed Jimmy (English version of Giacomo), insisted.
The hunt was planned in Tanzania late October, early November, just before the rains — prime time. Jimmy’s main interest was for a big ivory elephant, and a mature old lion and not much else, maybe a buffalo but nothing under record book size. This left a huge spectrum of other game for me to shoot but my interest was really only a buffalo, Jimmy had three on license.
Two days before leaving, I received a phone call Friday afternoon from my oldest friend, Lorenzo, of Italian origin but now very much a Londoner. He asked, “Are you still a member of Tramps night club?” “Of course, why?” I replied.
He told me he met a couple of Italian girls who wanted to go to Tramps, before returning to Italy. They were in banking and just spent a year in the London financial world and had heard so much about ‘Tramps’ and wanted to go before going back to Italy. I said, “No problem but I am leaving for Africa in 48 hours”. “Any chance for tonight then” Lorenzo asked.
“OK, I’ll meet you there say 9ish, we’ll have dinner and a quick dance but I must get home fairly early, I will leave your name plus two at the door” I replied.
I had only been at Tramps a few minutes when Lorenzo arrived with two beautiful ladies, a tall blonde and a dark-haired lady who was obviously my date.They both spoke very good English and, as my Italian was good but not always grammatically correct, this was a relief.
Both girls were delightful, amusing company, both good dancers but they seemed to enjoy the slow ones, best, a bit strange, I thought, for a first date. I was surprised that Alessa, the lady I was with, seemed to act like a long-time girlfriend rather than someone I had just met – holding hands as we left the dance floor and putting an arm around my shoulders when we sat down.
She said “I believe you are going on safari to Tanzania soon”
“In about 36 hours” I replied looking at my watch. Then came the shock question. “If I pay my own airfare will you take me?”.
I replied, “Sadly I am just an observer and a guest of a friend who is also one of my best gun-buying clients, if it was my trip I would be delighted to have such charming company”. Alessa looked at me with sadness in her beautiful brown eyes. I thought what a pity, she is a beautiful girl, but I just thought of Jimmy’s reaction to me arriving plus one.
Alessa and I exchanged phone numbers, and I drove her back to Chelsea in my Ferrari. She remarked “A 275GTB, the first one I have seen in London”. I said, “I’m surprised you recognised the model”. “Yes” she replied, “I drove a similar one in August when I went home for a week, Milan-Venice in just two hours” I knew the Autostrada Serenissima very well but circa 160 miles in just two hours? She must have been going some.
As we arrived where she was staying, a very nice house just off the King’s Road, I went to kiss her on the cheek but somehow our lips met. She said, “Thank you so much for ‘questa sera’, it was something I really enjoyed.” I said, “my next safari, I will call you first”. We both laughed and said our goodbyes.
I sat in the car for a few seconds digesting the evening, I only wish we could have spent more time together. I thought I’ll call her as soon as I get back from Africa.
Arriving at Dar es Salaam early on a Sunday morning, I was met by Jane, the wife of my professional hunter friend Luke. I was expecting Luke and Jimmy to meet me, Jimmy having said he needed to spend a couple of days in Dar before the hunt, I knew he had left four days ago from Genova.
Jane, when I asked about Luke and Jimmy, gave me a letter from Jimmy, saying he had urgent business in South Africa and would return for the last week of safari. He said in the letter just leave me an elephant and a lion to hunt, shoot anything else you fancy.
I later learnt the ‘business’ in South Africa was that he had met a lady on the flight to Dar. Jimmy was a wealthy unmarried, good looking, 38-year-old who raced power boats, drove fast cars, including a Gullwing Mercedes in which he had crashed at very high speed. He still bore a scar on his forehead to remind him of wrecking his beautiful Gullwing — yes, he was the ultimate Italian playboy. Who also happened to own a shipping line…
Where was Luke? “Ah,” said Jane, “He has gone to collect the cine film he has developed; we will meet him at the house”. Luke arrived as we were having breakfast.
“Hi Paul, wait till you see this film” he said excitedly. Without even stopping to even drink his coffee, Luke set up the projector, (it was 1981 remember, so not too many video cameras around yet). “This elephant was filmed three days ago in the block we are now going to hunt,” he said.
Closing the light source, the image was projected against a white wall. I could hardly believe what I saw, an elephant with very, very long tusks, which almost touched the ground.
I said “Wow! 120lb-er”.
Luke replied, “They are a bit thin but will easily make 100”.
My next question was, “Why did John Myll not shoot it?”. John was a friend who had been hunting with Luke, the safari before me.
“Paul, we had just shot his second elephant, a 70lb-er, three hours before. We saw this one on our way back to camp and John’s license was full.”
I asked about Jimmy. “Well, he only told you to leave one elephant and a lion,” Luke said, “and he has two elephants on quota.”
I said, “I don’t care about the lion, so we can go for it”. Luke agreed and told me he had two lions left on his quota anyway.
We flew into the Selous hunting area the next morning, the crew were there to meet us, including Patina and Kisenghi-the Nderobo trackers I had hunted with before. I was delighted to see them both as we had great adventures and fun on my previous safaris in the Selous with Luke. They were both gifted and incredibly skilful at their art. Kisenghi was the finest tracker I had ever hunted with. Also in camp we had other members of Luke’s crew, some of whom I had known for over seven years, Hamisi and his son Rama were special friends.
From day one, we searched hard for the big elephant bull that Luke had filmed just three days earlier. We saw a large amount of elephant bulls, some even exceeding an estimated 50lbs a side. We met up twice with an elephant we nicknamed, ‘Peg Leg’, he only had a single tusk but estimated at over 70lbs. It was the biggest ivory seen up to date, but it was a firm “no” from Luke who was determined to keep trying for the 100lb-er he had seen, and so we continued for a further three days. (Peg Leg was found dead of old age one year later 73lbs).
One morning we saw four bulls all over 40lbs, at a waterhole Luke and his trackers had discovered in the thick of the Selous thorn thicket, a partially opened bit by an East German team seeking minerals earlier that year. They had bulldozed tracks, which gave us access to parts of Luke’s Selous block that he had not been able to explore before because the thorns were so thick it took an hour to cover 100 yards.
On the fifth evening in camp talking to two newly arrived professional hunters who worked for Luke’s company, awaiting their clients, who were hunting the next block bordering ours. My being a gunmaker the conversation was the usual, bullets, rifles and ballistics. Getting bored of this perpetual topic, my thought went to the beautiful Alessa, who I had met a week ago and had been really keen to join me on safari. I just wondered, yes, I would give it a shot, we had a provisions plane coming in three days from now, she might just be able to make it, I radioed Jane in Dar to contact her.
Returning from a successful buffalo hunt two days later, covered in soot from tracking through burnt grass, I was really surprised and somewhat shocked to see this beautiful girl, drink in hand, chatting to Hamisi, Rama and the rest of the crew.
“Hi!” Alessa said.
She jumped up and came running over to me, big hugs – I was somewhat surprised, as I had the appearance of a chimney sweep. “I’m so glad to see you, really pleased you could make it” is all I could say.
The outfit she wore was perfect – safari wear. I introduced her to Luke, who was staring, looking a bit in awe. We settled down for a cold beer and heard how Alessa had managed to get her safari act together, full camera equipment including telescopic lenses, the works.
Trying my luck, I said “I hope you don’t mind sharing a tent with me, we are a bit short of space as we have a couple of Professional Hunters staying with us”.
She replied, “That’s fine, my stuff is already in your tent”.
With that a shout from the camp majordomo, Hamisi, ‘Bafu Bafu! ready’. Alessa looked at me. I said “There is a shower waiting for you if you want one”.
She looked at me and said, “if anyone needs a shower, it’s you”. I replied, “I think you should go first in case we run out of hot water”.
Her reply was “sporcaccione’” in Italian. “Off you go,” she said with a laugh, translated it meant ‘dirty beast’. Our shower in those days was a fifty-gallon tank of heated water attached to a shower head with a pull string. I had only just turned it on, when the canvas surround was unzipped. Alessa stepped in saying “Well, in case we run out of water we better share together”. She really was a beautiful lady!
Over dinner, Luke and I discussed the next day’s hunt programme, and we called in Kisenghi to ask his advice over coffee. He told us that he had a report that day from one of our Nderobo trackers, who had been touring in one of the spare vehicles, he had seen a very large bull with its ‘ascari’ at a waterhole about 5 miles from camp with a similar companion.
They thought it was the one we were after, tusks nearly touching the ground and it had an ‘ascari’ of circa 40lbs with it, as the elephant with the suspected 100lb tusks that Luke had filmed also had a similar companion.
We thought we must investigate this waterhole early next morning. I asked Alessa if she would like to join us. “We are wheels rolling at 6am,” thinking perhaps this would be a bit early for her “Of course, don’t worry I will be ready” she replied.
It was an interesting and very romantic night, and neither of us got much sleep, however we both made the 5:30am coffee brewed by the fire. Alessa was armed with a Nikon with a telephoto lens, me with a FN .458 I had been loaned, thinking if only I had my Rigby .470 double. I had intended to use Jimmy’s .404 Jeffery, but Jimmy’s guns were still with him.
As darkness turned into that cloudless early dawn we cruised silently to a stop. Luke said, “We are about 400 yards from the pan, no noise please”.
We descended the Land Rover as quietly as possible, and using what cover we had and Kisenghi constantly testing the wind. Luke and I had lighted cigarettes in our mouths, not smoking but using them to test the wind.
As we approached the pan it was obvious the trackers, from their manner, knew that our quarry was there, I was pointed out two grey shapes. Using binoculars, both Luke and I could see that the two elephants both had ivory as we approached closer. I saw that one of the elephants had really long ivory, but it was not the 100lb-er we were after.
Luke said “This bull is not the one but it is much too good to pass up”.
I was uncertain what to do.
Luke’s next whispered words were “What are you waiting for”.
I then knew we would shoot the bigger bull, as the distance was about 40 yards I took a heart, lung shot, the reaction from the elephant was to spring around in circles. As it came broadside again, I put in another body shot.
“For god’s sake, try a brain shot!” was Luke’s comment.
With good fortune the bullet ran true and the bull dropped, I ran forward and put in another brain shot in the back of the head. The ivory was very long and 15 ½” at the lip, could be close to 80Ibs a side, possibly the best elephant I had shot up to then – but it was not the one Luke filmed.
I didn’t care; it was a great old bull. Far better than I had hoped to get, we later aged it at 43 to 45 years old. He was on his last set of molars, and he would not have lived much longer, but for me it was a lifetime achievement! A really old elephant carrying big, long ivory, beautifully shaped, I still look at those tusks every day – they have been with me for 45 years!
We hunted on still hoping to find the monster bull Luke had photographed as we had now heard Jimmy was not intending to return, we therefore now had a license for another elephant.
Onto days 17 and 18, and we are nearing the end of the 21-day safari. We decided to stake out the waterhole where one of the Nderobos said he had seen a very old elephant with huge tusks nearly touching the ground, but as he was an old bull without an escort, Luke and I doubted it was the 100lb-er we were after.
We sat in a blind with the waterhole in sight till circa 4:30pm – no joy.
On our way back to the vehicle we spotted very fresh elephant tracks coming from the waterhole, the elephant had drunk without us spotting him but as the tracks were not huge, we did not pay too much attention getting into the Land Rover.
As we drove away, I took off my cartridge belt and put it in my bag. I stacked the .458 I was using. We went 200 yards and came to a sand river. As we were about to cross, we spotted 150 yards away an elephant with huge, long tusks nearly touching the ground, it disappeared around the bend in the sand river.
Luke said “Let’s go! I think it’s the one”.
Luke left the vehicle with the trackers and Alessa to cut the elephant off. Meanwhile, I had fumbled to get my cartridge belt from my bag, getting my kit together took a few more seconds.
For some unknown but good luck reason I decided not to follow Luke and the trackers but to go to the bend to see if the elephant was still walking down the sand river. I clearly saw 100 yards away, down the river, tracks where the Elephant had crossed to the opposite bank from me.
Then I spotted the elephant coming back towards me on the other bank, he got opposite to me, circa 60 yards away, before he saw me. As he turned, I managed two shots, aiming at the heart and lungs area, then a third attempted hip shot, which connected but failed to bring the elephant down. The bull disappeared into the bush on the opposite bank.
I slid down the bank, crossed the sand river and attempted to climb the 10-foot vertical bank with a rifle, so I tossed the rifle up on the bank, and using tree roots I managed to climb up, grabbed my rifle checking no obstructions in the muzzle or action and took off in the direction the elephant had gone.
Running as fast as I could, jumping fallen trees and my binoculars thumping painfully on my chest, a few seconds later I spotted the elephant about 100 yards away walking very slowly towards some thick bush, obviously badly wounded.
Resting against a tree I again attempted a hip shot; I heard the smack of the bullet! The only effect was for the elephant to speed up and enter the thicker bush area. I now had an unloaded rifle. Pulling bullets out of my belt I remember the first two were soft nose which I threw away, the third was a solid which I chambered but not bothering to refill the magazine as this would slow me down.
As I entered the thicker cover I almost bumped into the now stationary elephant, remembering the rear brain shot from W.D.M Bell ‘Karamojo Safari’ book, I managed a perfect brain shot from the rear. The elephant crashed to the ground! Just in case I reloaded and put in another ‘coup de grace’ brain shot. He proved to be a rather small elephant with extremely long tusks, close to but not the 100lb-er — he was later aged at circa 45 years with tusks just over 80lbs a side.
I felt the usual mixed feelings whenever I shoot an elephant, great joy at the achievement followed by a wave of sadness, which I find it difficult to explain. As I looked up the first thing I saw was Alessa coming towards me, camera in hand, followed by Luke and my two trackers, Patina and Kisenghi.
Alessa ran up to me smiling, then looking at me. She said, “You’re crying”.
I said “Sorry, just a bit emotional”.
She gave me a big hug and I felt better. All these moments I remember so clearly but they happened over 40 years ago.
The hunt was over with two huge elephants and a very good old buffalo. After relaxing by the pool in the hotel in Dar for two days, Alessa and I returned to the UK together. Arriving at Heathrow airport on the Sunday, we parted — her to London, me to West Sussex. We had a kiss and a hug and parted with a “I will call you on Monday” from me… But unfortunately, I was so tied up on Monday, having been away from work for over three weeks, I did not call her till Tuesday.
Speaking to her friend who answered the phone I was shocked to hear that Alessa had left for Italy that very day. I was quite surprised to hear from her friend when she informed me that Alessa was getting married in 10 days’ time. Recounting this to my friend, Lorenzo, who had first introduced me to Alessa, he told me “didn’t you know? A date at Tramps and a hunting safari were on her bucket list, along with a parachute jump, and driving a Ferrari at 200 kilometres an hour all before she got married”.
I was a very shocked, but then it all seemed to fall into place. A great happy, enjoyable experience, a safari to remember! A romance to cherish! Along with fond memories of a companion who brought the best ‘hunting luck’ of my hunting career. She will always be remembered with great affection.
www.johnrigbyandco.com
Romantic ivory
Tanzania, November 1981
by Paul Roberts in 2026
Whilst not planning a big game hunt in 1981, I was persuaded to join a friend and good customer, a wealthy Italian owner of a shipping line, to join him on a 21-day safari in the Selous game reserve. “Keep me company and shoot a buffalo and leopard on me”, my Italian friend nicknamed Jimmy (English version of Giacomo), insisted.
The hunt was planned in Tanzania late October, early November, just before the rains — prime time. Jimmy’s main interest was for a big ivory elephant, and a mature old lion and not much else, maybe a buffalo but nothing under record book size. This left a huge spectrum of other game for me to shoot but my interest was really only a buffalo, Jimmy had three on license.
Two days before leaving, I received a phone call Friday afternoon from my oldest friend, Lorenzo, of Italian origin but now very much a Londoner. He asked, “Are you still a member of Tramps night club?” “Of course, why?” I replied.
He told me he met a couple of Italian girls who wanted to go to Tramps, before returning to Italy. They were in banking and just spent a year in the London financial world and had heard so much about ‘Tramps’ and wanted to go before going back to Italy. I said, “No problem but I am leaving for Africa in 48 hours”. “Any chance for tonight then” Lorenzo asked.
“OK, I’ll meet you there say 9ish, we’ll have dinner and a quick dance but I must get home fairly early, I will leave your name plus two at the door” I replied.
I had only been at Tramps a few minutes when Lorenzo arrived with two beautiful ladies, a tall blonde and a dark-haired lady who was obviously my date.They both spoke very good English and, as my Italian was good but not always grammatically correct, this was a relief.
Both girls were delightful, amusing company, both good dancers but they seemed to enjoy the slow ones, best, a bit strange, I thought, for a first date. I was surprised that Alessa, the lady I was with, seemed to act like a long-time girlfriend rather than someone I had just met – holding hands as we left the dance floor and putting an arm around my shoulders when we sat down.
She said “I believe you are going on safari to Tanzania soon”
“In about 36 hours” I replied looking at my watch. Then came the shock question. “If I pay my own airfare will you take me?”.
I replied, “Sadly I am just an observer and a guest of a friend who is also one of my best gun-buying clients, if it was my trip I would be delighted to have such charming company”. Alessa looked at me with sadness in her beautiful brown eyes. I thought what a pity, she is a beautiful girl, but I just thought of Jimmy’s reaction to me arriving plus one.
Alessa and I exchanged phone numbers, and I drove her back to Chelsea in my Ferrari. She remarked “A 275GTB, the first one I have seen in London”. I said, “I’m surprised you recognised the model”. “Yes” she replied, “I drove a similar one in August when I went home for a week, Milan-Venice in just two hours” I knew the Autostrada Serenissima very well but circa 160 miles in just two hours? She must have been going some.
As we arrived where she was staying, a very nice house just off the King’s Road, I went to kiss her on the cheek but somehow our lips met. She said, “Thank you so much for ‘questa sera’, it was something I really enjoyed.” I said, “my next safari, I will call you first”. We both laughed and said our goodbyes.
I sat in the car for a few seconds digesting the evening, I only wish we could have spent more time together. I thought I’ll call her as soon as I get back from Africa.
Arriving at Dar es Salaam early on a Sunday morning, I was met by Jane, the wife of my professional hunter friend Luke. I was expecting Luke and Jimmy to meet me, Jimmy having said he needed to spend a couple of days in Dar before the hunt, I knew he had left four days ago from Genova.
Jane, when I asked about Luke and Jimmy, gave me a letter from Jimmy, saying he had urgent business in South Africa and would return for the last week of safari. He said in the letter just leave me an elephant and a lion to hunt, shoot anything else you fancy.
I later learnt the ‘business’ in South Africa was that he had met a lady on the flight to Dar. Jimmy was a wealthy unmarried, good looking, 38-year-old who raced power boats, drove fast cars, including a Gullwing Mercedes in which he had crashed at very high speed. He still bore a scar on his forehead to remind him of wrecking his beautiful Gullwing — yes, he was the ultimate Italian playboy. Who also happened to own a shipping line…
Where was Luke? “Ah,” said Jane, “He has gone to collect the cine film he has developed; we will meet him at the house”. Luke arrived as we were having breakfast.
“Hi Paul, wait till you see this film” he said excitedly. Without even stopping to even drink his coffee, Luke set up the projector, (it was 1981 remember, so not too many video cameras around yet). “This elephant was filmed three days ago in the block we are now going to hunt,” he said.
Closing the light source, the image was projected against a white wall. I could hardly believe what I saw, an elephant with very, very long tusks, which almost touched the ground.
I said “Wow! 120lb-er”.
Luke replied, “They are a bit thin but will easily make 100”.
My next question was, “Why did John Myll not shoot it?”. John was a friend who had been hunting with Luke, the safari before me.
“Paul, we had just shot his second elephant, a 70lb-er, three hours before. We saw this one on our way back to camp and John’s license was full.”
I asked about Jimmy. “Well, he only told you to leave one elephant and a lion,” Luke said, “and he has two elephants on quota.”
I said, “I don’t care about the lion, so we can go for it”. Luke agreed and told me he had two lions left on his quota anyway.
We flew into the Selous hunting area the next morning, the crew were there to meet us, including Patina and Kisenghi-the Nderobo trackers I had hunted with before. I was delighted to see them both as we had great adventures and fun on my previous safaris in the Selous with Luke. They were both gifted and incredibly skilful at their art. Kisenghi was the finest tracker I had ever hunted with. Also in camp we had other members of Luke’s crew, some of whom I had known for over seven years, Hamisi and his son Rama were special friends.
From day one, we searched hard for the big elephant bull that Luke had filmed just three days earlier. We saw a large amount of elephant bulls, some even exceeding an estimated 50lbs a side. We met up twice with an elephant we nicknamed, ‘Peg Leg’, he only had a single tusk but estimated at over 70lbs. It was the biggest ivory seen up to date, but it was a firm “no” from Luke who was determined to keep trying for the 100lb-er he had seen, and so we continued for a further three days. (Peg Leg was found dead of old age one year later 73lbs).
One morning we saw four bulls all over 40lbs, at a waterhole Luke and his trackers had discovered in the thick of the Selous thorn thicket, a partially opened bit by an East German team seeking minerals earlier that year. They had bulldozed tracks, which gave us access to parts of Luke’s Selous block that he had not been able to explore before because the thorns were so thick it took an hour to cover 100 yards.
On the fifth evening in camp talking to two newly arrived professional hunters who worked for Luke’s company, awaiting their clients, who were hunting the next block bordering ours. My being a gunmaker the conversation was the usual, bullets, rifles and ballistics. Getting bored of this perpetual topic, my thought went to the beautiful Alessa, who I had met a week ago and had been really keen to join me on safari. I just wondered, yes, I would give it a shot, we had a provisions plane coming in three days from now, she might just be able to make it, I radioed Jane in Dar to contact her.
Returning from a successful buffalo hunt two days later, covered in soot from tracking through burnt grass, I was really surprised and somewhat shocked to see this beautiful girl, drink in hand, chatting to Hamisi, Rama and the rest of the crew.
“Hi!” Alessa said.
She jumped up and came running over to me, big hugs – I was somewhat surprised, as I had the appearance of a chimney sweep. “I’m so glad to see you, really pleased you could make it” is all I could say.
The outfit she wore was perfect – safari wear. I introduced her to Luke, who was staring, looking a bit in awe. We settled down for a cold beer and heard how Alessa had managed to get her safari act together, full camera equipment including telescopic lenses, the works.
Trying my luck, I said “I hope you don’t mind sharing a tent with me, we are a bit short of space as we have a couple of Professional Hunters staying with us”.
She replied, “That’s fine, my stuff is already in your tent”.
With that a shout from the camp majordomo, Hamisi, ‘Bafu Bafu! ready’. Alessa looked at me. I said “There is a shower waiting for you if you want one”.
She looked at me and said, “if anyone needs a shower, it’s you”. I replied, “I think you should go first in case we run out of hot water”.
Her reply was “sporcaccione’” in Italian. “Off you go,” she said with a laugh, translated it meant ‘dirty beast’. Our shower in those days was a fifty-gallon tank of heated water attached to a shower head with a pull string. I had only just turned it on, when the canvas surround was unzipped. Alessa stepped in saying “Well, in case we run out of water we better share together”. She really was a beautiful lady!
Over dinner, Luke and I discussed the next day’s hunt programme, and we called in Kisenghi to ask his advice over coffee. He told us that he had a report that day from one of our Nderobo trackers, who had been touring in one of the spare vehicles, he had seen a very large bull with its ‘ascari’ at a waterhole about 5 miles from camp with a similar companion.
They thought it was the one we were after, tusks nearly touching the ground and it had an ‘ascari’ of circa 40lbs with it, as the elephant with the suspected 100lb tusks that Luke had filmed also had a similar companion.
We thought we must investigate this waterhole early next morning. I asked Alessa if she would like to join us. “We are wheels rolling at 6am,” thinking perhaps this would be a bit early for her “Of course, don’t worry I will be ready” she replied.
It was an interesting and very romantic night, and neither of us got much sleep, however we both made the 5:30am coffee brewed by the fire. Alessa was armed with a Nikon with a telephoto lens, me with a FN .458 I had been loaned, thinking if only I had my Rigby .470 double. I had intended to use Jimmy’s .404 Jeffery, but Jimmy’s guns were still with him.
As darkness turned into that cloudless early dawn we cruised silently to a stop. Luke said, “We are about 400 yards from the pan, no noise please”.
We descended the Land Rover as quietly as possible, and using what cover we had and Kisenghi constantly testing the wind. Luke and I had lighted cigarettes in our mouths, not smoking but using them to test the wind.
As we approached the pan it was obvious the trackers, from their manner, knew that our quarry was there, I was pointed out two grey shapes. Using binoculars, both Luke and I could see that the two elephants both had ivory as we approached closer. I saw that one of the elephants had really long ivory, but it was not the 100lb-er we were after.
Luke said “This bull is not the one but it is much too good to pass up”.
I was uncertain what to do.
Luke’s next whispered words were “What are you waiting for”.
I then knew we would shoot the bigger bull, as the distance was about 40 yards I took a heart, lung shot, the reaction from the elephant was to spring around in circles. As it came broadside again, I put in another body shot.
“For god’s sake, try a brain shot!” was Luke’s comment.
With good fortune the bullet ran true and the bull dropped, I ran forward and put in another brain shot in the back of the head. The ivory was very long and 15 ½” at the lip, could be close to 80Ibs a side, possibly the best elephant I had shot up to then – but it was not the one Luke filmed.
I didn’t care; it was a great old bull. Far better than I had hoped to get, we later aged it at 43 to 45 years old. He was on his last set of molars, and he would not have lived much longer, but for me it was a lifetime achievement! A really old elephant carrying big, long ivory, beautifully shaped, I still look at those tusks every day – they have been with me for 45 years!
We hunted on still hoping to find the monster bull Luke had photographed as we had now heard Jimmy was not intending to return, we therefore now had a license for another elephant.
Onto days 17 and 18, and we are nearing the end of the 21-day safari. We decided to stake out the waterhole where one of the Nderobos said he had seen a very old elephant with huge tusks nearly touching the ground, but as he was an old bull without an escort, Luke and I doubted it was the 100lb-er we were after.
We sat in a blind with the waterhole in sight till circa 4:30pm – no joy.
On our way back to the vehicle we spotted very fresh elephant tracks coming from the waterhole, the elephant had drunk without us spotting him but as the tracks were not huge, we did not pay too much attention getting into the Land Rover.
As we drove away, I took off my cartridge belt and put it in my bag. I stacked the .458 I was using. We went 200 yards and came to a sand river. As we were about to cross, we spotted 150 yards away an elephant with huge, long tusks nearly touching the ground, it disappeared around the bend in the sand river.
Luke said “Let’s go! I think it’s the one”.
Luke left the vehicle with the trackers and Alessa to cut the elephant off. Meanwhile, I had fumbled to get my cartridge belt from my bag, getting my kit together took a few more seconds.
For some unknown but good luck reason I decided not to follow Luke and the trackers but to go to the bend to see if the elephant was still walking down the sand river. I clearly saw 100 yards away, down the river, tracks where the Elephant had crossed to the opposite bank from me.
Then I spotted the elephant coming back towards me on the other bank, he got opposite to me, circa 60 yards away, before he saw me. As he turned, I managed two shots, aiming at the heart and lungs area, then a third attempted hip shot, which connected but failed to bring the elephant down. The bull disappeared into the bush on the opposite bank.
I slid down the bank, crossed the sand river and attempted to climb the 10-foot vertical bank with a rifle, so I tossed the rifle up on the bank, and using tree roots I managed to climb up, grabbed my rifle checking no obstructions in the muzzle or action and took off in the direction the elephant had gone.
Running as fast as I could, jumping fallen trees and my binoculars thumping painfully on my chest, a few seconds later I spotted the elephant about 100 yards away walking very slowly towards some thick bush, obviously badly wounded.
Resting against a tree I again attempted a hip shot; I heard the smack of the bullet! The only effect was for the elephant to speed up and enter the thicker bush area. I now had an unloaded rifle. Pulling bullets out of my belt I remember the first two were soft nose which I threw away, the third was a solid which I chambered but not bothering to refill the magazine as this would slow me down.
As I entered the thicker cover I almost bumped into the now stationary elephant, remembering the rear brain shot from W.D.M Bell ‘Karamojo Safari’ book, I managed a perfect brain shot from the rear. The elephant crashed to the ground! Just in case I reloaded and put in another ‘coup de grace’ brain shot. He proved to be a rather small elephant with extremely long tusks, close to but not the 100lb-er — he was later aged at circa 45 years with tusks just over 80lbs a side.
I felt the usual mixed feelings whenever I shoot an elephant, great joy at the achievement followed by a wave of sadness, which I find it difficult to explain. As I looked up the first thing I saw was Alessa coming towards me, camera in hand, followed by Luke and my two trackers, Patina and Kisenghi.
Alessa ran up to me smiling, then looking at me. She said, “You’re crying”.
I said “Sorry, just a bit emotional”.
She gave me a big hug and I felt better. All these moments I remember so clearly but they happened over 40 years ago.
The hunt was over with two huge elephants and a very good old buffalo. After relaxing by the pool in the hotel in Dar for two days, Alessa and I returned to the UK together. Arriving at Heathrow airport on the Sunday, we parted — her to London, me to West Sussex. We had a kiss and a hug and parted with a “I will call you on Monday” from me… But unfortunately, I was so tied up on Monday, having been away from work for over three weeks, I did not call her till Tuesday.
Speaking to her friend who answered the phone I was shocked to hear that Alessa had left for Italy that very day. I was quite surprised to hear from her friend when she informed me that Alessa was getting married in 10 days’ time. Recounting this to my friend, Lorenzo, who had first introduced me to Alessa, he told me “didn’t you know? A date at Tramps and a hunting safari were on her bucket list, along with a parachute jump, and driving a Ferrari at 200 kilometres an hour all before she got married”.
I was a very shocked, but then it all seemed to fall into place. A great happy, enjoyable experience, a safari to remember! A romance to cherish! Along with fond memories of a companion who brought the best ‘hunting luck’ of my hunting career. She will always be remembered with great affection.
Paul Roberts Khaki Fever Shirt in Olive - John Rigby & Co.
The ‘khaki fever’ shirt is a practical safari essential that pays homage to Paul Roberts, the legendary hunter, adventurer, and former owner of Rigby. Roberts is a man who lives as boldly as he hunts-quick in the bush and quicker to charm at the campfire. With a reputation for fast cars and...
www.johnrigbyandco.com
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