THE BIG GAME OF AFRICA 



European rulers had, at the time when wild bison and 

 bears, lions, and much other big game roamed around in 

 great numbers even in Europe, for British East Africa 

 is a much more wonderful game country than any which 

 those rulers ever laid their eyes upon ! We have out there 

 a much greater variety of species, as well as much larger 

 and fiercer animals, often gathering in herds much 

 mightier than anything ever seen in either Europe or 

 India. The herds of American bison and elk were cer- 

 tainly wonderful in our own country a few decades ago, 

 but out there in East Africa the vast herds of antelopes 

 even surpass these, and that right now in our present time. 

 I wish that all sportsmen in this country, who are able to 

 do so, would go out to British East Africa and enjoy for 

 a while the marvelous opportunities for big-game shoot- 

 ing which that country still ofifers. . . ." 



I heartily agree with Colonel Roosevelt's remarkable 

 utterances, and believe that every fearless and able-bodied 

 sportsman, who is fond of big-game shooting, and who can 

 afford it, should go out to British East Africa as soon 

 as possible. For there is no question that the enormous 

 herds of game even there are quickly diminishing before 

 the advancing army of settlers, hunters, and naturalists, 

 who now yearly visit the country. I regret to say that it 

 is my firm opinion, formed both from reports of several 

 old African hunters as well as from my own observations 

 in the field during my three expeditions to Africa, that 

 the big game there is rapidly being shot off. " Record 

 heads " of most of the game it is almost impossible to 

 secure any more ; large bull elephants with tusks weighing 

 more than one hundred pounds apiece are extremely rare, 



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