PREFACE. 



cretion is, of course, needful in this matter, as, if every 

 portion were to be literally received, we might be led 

 into grievous errors ; still, by attending to what many 

 might call absurd superstitions, we not only attain to a 

 knowledge of the mental tendencies of the natives, but 

 are made acquainted with interesting facts touching tho 

 geographical distribution of men and inferior animals. 



Since the different members constituting the brut(> 

 creation are so intimately connected with the economy 

 of man, and since many of the beasts and birds indige- 

 nous to those parts of Africa visited by the Author are 

 still but imperfectly known, he has thought it advisable 

 to enter largely into their habits, &c., the rather as nat- 

 ural history has from childhood been his favorite pur- 

 suit, and is a subject on which he therefore feels con- 

 versant ; and though part of what he has stated regard- 

 ing the rhinoceros, the hippopotamus, the koodoo, the 

 ostrich, and others of the almost incalculable varieties 

 of animals found in the African wilderness may be 

 known to some inquirers, it is still hoped that the gen- 

 eral reader will find matter he has not previously met 

 with. 



The larger portion of the beautiful plates to be found 

 in this work (faithfully depicting the scenes described; 

 are by ]\Ir. Wolf — " the Landseer of animals and vege- 

 tation," to quote the words of the Earl of Ellesmere in 

 a note which his lordship did me the honor to write to 

 me. 



The Author has endeavored in the following pages 

 faithfully, and in plain and unassuming language, to 

 record his experiences, impressions, feelings, and im- 

 pulses, under circumstances often peculiarly trving. 



