The Big Game Ranch, located at The Big Game Ranch, in Arusha, Tanzania , was founded in 1898. The Big Game Ranch closed down in 1937.
Mohoro, Christmas 1910. Dear Mr. Hagenbeck, I have a terrible accident to report. I reached Petersen here at Mohoro on Christmas Eve. On Christmas Morning Petersen said: "I say, Schulz, lets go and kill our Christmas dinner." We went out a mile or so into the bush and sighted some waterbucks, but did not get a shot. We then followed a buffalo trail, and sighted the animal at a distance of about three hundred and eighty yards. I said, "You shoot, because I only have a shotgun with me." He said, "Let\'s make more sure of him." So we went in closer. All at once the buffalo stormed up out of the bush, only three paces from us. 1 leapt to one side, he brushed by me and knocked me into a thorn thicket. I was lucky, because the angry animal then lost sight of me. But it turned at once and got poor Petersen on his horns. It tossed him ten Feet into the air, caught him again on its horns, and I heard Pctersen\'s bones smash. Horrible. Now here I am cut off from the whole world. The nearest Europeans are three hours away. Dar-es-Salaarn is one hundred and twenty miles and Mohoro is two and a half days from here. I had dragged Petersen back here, then buried him. He was two hundred yards from his house, frightfully mutilated. I am now quite alone. Early this morning the District Commissioner passed this way and recorded the accident. I am bringing Petersen\'s animals and the seven hundred pounds of hippopotamus Teeth back with me. I have got planking, but no assistance. If only I had the forty-eight packing cases ready which I shall need. I have three weeks left, before the little river steamer comes. It halts three hours distance from here. The road is poor. I must get away from this, I cannot forget the sight of it. Do please write to his parents. They are elderly folk. If you were to say he is ill, that would prepare them for it. I am not ashamed to say that when I buried him I wept; the tears are running as I write. I have ten other hippopotami at Kilva. I shall do what you wrote, Mr. Hagenbeck. I hope to be in Hamburg in early March. Yours very truly, Christoph Schulz.
