THE DECADENCE OF GKEAT GAME 299 



upon the whole, the most sparing and the least 

 wasteful. In his early years, it is true, he pursued 

 elephants for their ivory, as a means of livelihood 

 and a matter of business ; and by dint of immense 

 courage, energy, and endurance, slew undoubtedly 

 great numbers of the tusk-bearing pachyderms. 

 But, apart from this, Selous has always been one 

 of the most merciful of hunters, killing only for the 

 sake of procuring specimens or to supply food for 

 his followers. 



Just as Gumming and Oswell were attracted to 

 the great hunting-grounds by the fascinating records 

 of Cornwallis Harris, and as Baldwin and others in 

 their turn followed eagerly in the wake of Gordon 

 Gumming, so Selous seems to have gravitated to 

 South Africa from a perusal of the deeds of foregone 

 heroes, especially of Gumming and Baldwin. 



But Selous found things already greatly changed. 

 By the year 1871, when he first landed, much of 

 middle Bechuanaland and the Transvaal had been 

 shot out. To get among the elephants he sought, 

 the lad — as he then was — had to penetrate to 

 Matabeleland, gain permission of Lobengula, and 

 then pass into Mashonaland. 



In Mashonaland, along the Zambesi, in the 

 Mababi veldt (Ngamiland), and in the Ghobe river 

 country, Selous for many years had his fill of sport 

 and excitement. But the elephants vanished rapidly 



