THE BIG GAME OF AFRICA 



as before remarked, go out to these wonderful shooting 

 grounds just as soon as possible, if he wants to see the vast 

 game herds before they dwindle away more perceptibly. 

 I regret to say that it is perfectly true that a good many 

 hunters so ruthlessly and wantonly destroy game, wound- 

 ing hundreds of animals at long distance without even 

 bothering to follow them up, that they indeed do not 

 deserve to be classed as sportsmen. It should be the duty 

 of each man, who goes out to Africa for a shoot, most 

 scrupulously to observe the game laws and to do all he 

 can to discourage the slaughter of game animals by 

 others. As Colonel Roosevelt so fitly remarked: "No 

 sportsman should kill game unless : 



" First, it is an exceptionally fine head ; 



" Second, it is intended to be preserved for scientific 

 purposes ; 



" Third, it is shot in real — not pretended — self-de- 

 fense." 



If this is complied with by all true sportsmen, and such 

 people as wantonly and cruelly destroy game were made 

 to feel that they in this respect are nothing but " crim- 

 inals," much will be accomplished in the right direction 

 and the standard of big-game hunting be raised. Thus, 

 and with large and suitable game preserves, British East 

 Africa will still for decades hold its own as the world's 

 finest hunting ground. 



My book is finished, but as I have written these pages, 

 they have made me live all over again my wanderings, 

 hardships, and many narrow escapes! They have revived 

 in my memory the many pleasant evenings when, after 

 days of excitement and danger, failure or success, the 



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