X PREFACE. 



hunting and in tracking, their capacity to undergo great 

 hardships and fatigues, their exhaustive knowledge of the 

 haunts and habits of the game, and their resolute per- 

 severance in its pursuit. I possessed a great advantage 

 in, from the commencement, thoroughly understanding 

 their language, and in being naturally able to undergo at 

 least as much fatigue and hardship as they could ; experi- 

 ence gradually did the rest, and in course of time I was 

 able to find, follow, and approach game with so much cer- 

 tainty as to more than compensate for the deficiencies of 

 my shooting. 



About Natural History as a science I know, I am sorry 

 to say, Httle or nothing, and therefore whatever I have 

 said on the subject must be taken for what it is worth, 

 though I may mention that I have been careful to exclude 

 everything but what has come within my personal know- 

 ledge. For this reason it has often been difficult for me to 

 identify from the scientific name and description animals 

 and birds with which I was practically well acquainted, 

 and of which I knew the local or native name. 



Regarding the Illustrations, my thanks are due to 

 that able artist, Mr. Edward Hodges, to whose skill and 



